Newindpress - Chennai,India
KOTTAYAM: The argument, which had been engaging the Orthodox and the Patriarch factions of the Malankara Church in wordy duels - and at times even fisticuffs, is poised to take a new turn with the former being caught on the wrong foot for alleged violation of the provisions of the Malankara Church Constitution of 1934...

The bone of contention is that the consecration of the present Catholicos of the Orthodox faction, Baselios Marthoma Didymos I, which was conducted on October 31, 2005 at Parumala was not on the basis of a decision of the Malankara Association, the convening of, which is mandatory and to accord legal sanctity as per the 1995 Supreme Court verdict in the Church case....

Hindu - Chennai,India
Singapore, Feb. 1 (PTI): President A P J Abdul Kalam, considered the father of India's missile programme, made his first rocket on a piece of land handed over by a church in Kerala for the project.

The President revealed this when asked by a chemical engineering student of National University of Singapore at an interactive session after a power-point presentation there this evening.

The Argus - Fremont,CA,USA
FREMONT — In cages behind the rectory of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Fremont, the Rev. Mathew Vellankal kept nine doves and a rabbit for magic shows....

Born in the province of Kerala in southern India, Vellankal said he decided to become a missionary priest in his early teens, following in the footsteps of his uncle, who served as a vicar general in India....

WAFA - Palestine News Agency - Gaza,Gaza Strip,Palestine
JERUSALEM, January 31, 2006 (WAFA)- The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches of Jerusalem congratulated the Palestinian people for their democratic performance in the recent parliamentary elections...

In a press release issued Tuesday, they expressed their respect and support to the will of the people expressed in these elections, and congratulated "all those who were elected"...

The press release signed by: Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarchate, Patriarch Torkom II, Armenian ...

Newindpress - Chennai,India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: American evangelist David Terrell has found himself at the wrong end of a visa row after the Hindu Aikya Vedi lodged a complaint against him.

Police has banned Terrell from preaching at Amaravila stating that the latter would be violating the visa norms if he engaged in missionary activity...

Interfax-Religion - Moscow,Russia
Moscow, February 1, Interfax - Over half of the Russians polled (54%) have trust in the Russian Orthodox Church and some 70% have trust in Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and Russia personally. These are the results of the studies undertaken by sociologists of the Bashkirov and Partners center in Moscow....

PATHANAMTHITTA: The 63rd Kallooppara Orthodox Syrian
Christian Convention will be held on the sandbed of Koithottu in the Manimala river at Kallooppara in Mallappally taluk from February 5 to 12.

Senior Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Geevarghese Mar Osthathios will inaugurate the annual religious meet on February 5 after noon. Youhanon Mar Chrisostomos will preside over the inaugural function... ...