In Italy, the very birthplace of Roman Catholicism, a bill that contradicts the teaching of the Bible has been overwhelmingly approved by lawmakers, allowing the civil union of same-sex couples amid widespread strong objections, especially from the church. By 372 votes to 51, with 99 abstentions, the bill passed the strict scrutiny. It is now up to President Sergio Mattarella to decide which side he should choose - the Bible that says marriage is only between a man and a woman, or the bill that accords homosexuals that same right. The bill's approval by Italy's Chamber of Deputies was unexpected, and drew outrage from most Italians who thought their leaders were conservative. Its passage left homosexuals with one last step for victory against the Roman Catholic Church - President Pattarella's support or veto.

In Syria last month IS came under intense pressure from the US-led coalition, Kurdish forces, Syrian government troops and allies, the Iraqi army, and shelling from Turkey. The tide is turning against the brutal organisation, and its territorial control is shrinking. Pray for the cities recaptured from IS, asking God for righteous leaders. Pray also for an ultimate peace deal, particularly with the geo-political interests of countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia. Meanwhile refugees continue to flee the five-year-old conflict, with no prospect of returning home in the near future. Pray for their safety, and for international solidarity to meet all their needs. Finally, the battle for Aleppo continues. Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of airstrikes with three medical facilities hit in the space of three hours on Thursday. See:

The island of Cyprus is occupied mainly by Greeks in the south and Turks in the north. One of the biggest stumbling blocks to any kind of north / south reunion is that Greek houses and land in the north have been occupied by Turks for nearly fifty years; churches have been pillaged or destroyed, with no one to look after them. Now, with three exceptions, the remaining Orthodox churches in the north will only be allowed to have religious ceremonies once a year. Speaking to a Turkish Cypriot newspaper, the minister responsible for this new policy said they were restricting ceremonies rather than forbidding them. One reason for this decision is the large numbers of people crossing the border from south to north to attend services in the churches where they used to worship. The division between the two parts of Cyprus is one of the most politically contentious anywhere in the world, dating back to 1974. See also

Christians in Kano, northern Nigeria, expected widespread violence following the killing of a Christian woman last week, but Sunday services passed peacefully. Bridget Patience Agbahime, 74, originally from the southern state of Imo, was ambushed by a mob for allegedly blaspheming against Islam’s prophet. Her husband, the pastor of Deeper Life Bible Church, was with her, but prompt police intervention saved his life. Mrs Agbahime was a quiet woman who traded in plastic wares, known to respect others; it is doubtful that she could have made any statement of blasphemy. The killing has provoked widespread social media outrage, with calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. One Christian group said, ‘Our religious leaders must come out and preach the true tenets of religion, because this violent arrogance is getting too much.’ Christians fear more activism from radical Muslims during Ramadan, traditionally a time of terror and suicide bombings.