✞ The 129-year-old Assumption Church in Chan Thar in Ye-U township in the northwestern Sagaing region was set ablaze on Jan. 15, along with many villagers’ homes.
Myanmar junta forces have continued their attacks on Christian communities by torching a more than century-old Catholic church in a predominantly Christian village.
The church was completely destroyed in the inferno. However, there were no human casualties as villagers managed to flee before the army arrived.
The place of worship built in 1894 had a ‘priceless’ historical value for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Before setting fire to it, soldiers desecrated it by drinking and smoking inside. Catholics and Buddhists have lived together in harmony in the area for centuries. In the past year, the village has been attacked four times by militia, without any clashes or provocations.
It is a new wound for the religious minority, after two air force fighter jets carried out a raid in Karen State in recent days, destroying a church and killing five people including a child.
The first Catholic presence in the area, which refers to the diocese of Mandalay, dates back about 500 years and the village of Chan Thar itself arose and developed thanks to the work of descendants of Portuguese Catholics who then inhabited it for centuries.
In the village, the population has always been predominantly Catholic, scattered in 800 houses in close contact and harmony with two neighbouring Buddhist centres. Last year, the military set fire to the houses of Chan Thar on 7 May and a second time a month later, on 7 June 2022, destroying 135 buildings.
The third assault took place on 14 December, just before the start of the Christmas celebrations; the last was a few days ago, on 14 January 2023, when the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) men razed and burnt almost all the houses.
Local sources, on condition of anonymity, report that the soldiers attacked and set fire to the church “for no apparent reason”, because there was no fighting or confrontation going on in the area, and without any provocation.
The soldiers had been stationed in the area in front of the church since the evening of 14 January, and before leaving the area, they carried out an “atrocity” by setting fire to the building and “completely burning” the church, the parish priest’s house and the centuries-old nunnery, which collapsed after being enveloped in flames.
The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption was a source of pride for Catholics in Upper Myanmar not only because of its centuries-old tradition, the baptism of the first bishop and the birth of three other archbishops and over 30 priests and nuns.
The place of worship was in fact a historical and cultural heritage for the entire country, including Buddhists, and proof of this is the climate of fraternal cooperation that was established between the different communities.
The church, bell tower and other buildings were destroyed on the morning of 15 January. Government soldiers, an eyewitness revealed, also “desecrated” the sacredness of the place by “looting, drinking alcohol and smoking” inside.
In response to the attack, a number of Burmese priests on social networks have been raising appeals to pray for the country and for the Christian community itself. On the other hand, there have been no official statements or declarations from the Archdiocese of Yangon and Card. Charles Bo.
“We are deeply sorrowful as our historic church has been destroyed. It was our last hope,” a Catholic villager, who did not want to be identified due to repercussions by the army, said.
Villagers said a Marian grotto and the adoration chapel were spared. But the parish priest’s house and the nuns’ convent were destroyed.
They said the army arrived in the village in the conflict-torn Sagaing region on the evening of Jan. 14 and set many houses on fire and stayed in the church overnight before setting it ablaze early on Jan. 15, when local Catholics were expected to arrive for worship.
More than 500 houses in the village were also destroyed. in what was the fourth raid on the village in eight months.
“We have no more houses and the church where there was an antique painting of St Mary, which can’t be replaced,” another resident who wished to remain anonymous said.
The junta is targeting the Sagaing region to tackle growing resistance to its rule by people’s defense forces who are suspected to be based there.
Christians make up around 8.2 percent of Myanmar’s 55 million population. The junta has repeatedly raided Chan Thar since May, 2022. Nearly 20 houses were destroyed and two Catholics, including a mentally disturbed person, were killed during a raid on May 7, 2022. More than 100 houses were set ablaze a month later on June 7. In a raid on Dec.14, more than 300 houses were torched.
Thousands have fled the village since last May and taken shelter in churches near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, and at relatives’ homes in other parts of the country.
Chaung Yoe, Mon Hla and Chan Thar, which are part of Mandalay archdiocese, are known as Bayingyi villages because their inhabitants claim that they are the descendants of Portuguese adventurers who arrived in the region in the 16th and 17th centuries. These villages have produced many bishops, priests, and nuns for the Church.
✞ São Paulo: The Oldest Orthodox Church in Brazil Was Destroyed by a Fire
💭 The Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, in São Paulo, was destroyed in a fire yesterday and today. It had been founded in 1904 by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants, seven years after the first Divine Liturgy in Brazilian history had been celebrated in a room in the same street. The community had mostly merged with that of the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, but there were still weekly liturgies that kept the memory of the temple alive. Only the altar survived, but some icons could be retrieved from the walls.
The fire started in a nearby store, and it doesn’t seem anyone was hurt.
In 2016, Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church visited The Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, which was founded in 1904
The Karen are a large and dispersed ethnic group of Southeast Asia. They trace their origins to the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, or Tibet. Karen settled in Burma/Myanmar’s southern Irrawaddy Delta area and in the hills along the Salween River in eastern Myanmar and in neighboring Thailand. In the past numerous peoples were considered Karen sub-groups: the Pwo Karen (mostly delta rice-growers), the Sgaw Karen of the mountains; and the Kayahs (also called Karennis), Pa-Os, and Kayans (also called Padaungs), who live in the Karenni and Shan States of Myanmar. Now all of these groups consider themselves distinct ethnic groups.
The total population of Karen in around 6 million (although some it could be as high as 9 million according to some sources) with 4 million to 5 million in Myanmar, over 1 million in Thailand, 215,000 in the United States(2018), more than 11,000 in Australia, 4,500 to 5,000 in Canada and 2,500 in India in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and 2,500 in Sweden,
🔥 ‘A Living Hell’: Churches, Clergy Targeted By Myanmar Military
On Thursday, a Baptist pastor and a Catholic deacon were killed in Lay Wah village, two women wounded, hundreds flee. Karen rebels call the attack a “war crime”, urge the international community to cut off fuel supplies to ruling military junta. Myanmar’s government-in-exile condemns the attacks, extends condolences to victims’ families.
Thursday afternoon two jet fighters attacked Lay Wah, a village located in Mutraw district, Karen State, south-eastern Myanmar.
The area is under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) whose armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), has been repeatedly engaged in heavy fighting with Myanmar’s regular army.
At least five people were killed as a result of the bombing. Hundreds of residents hastily left their homes and fled, fearing further raids and more violence.
Local sources report that at least two bombs were dropped. Over the past few days, two churches and a school, as well as several other buildings were hit.
The mother and the child died instantly, while a Baptist pastor and a Catholic deacon succumbed later to their injuries. Two other women were wounded albeit not seriously.
The child, Naw Marina, would have turned three next month; she died along with her mother, Naw La Kler Paw; Catholic deacon Naw La Kler Paw; Rev Saw Cha Aye; and the last victim, Saw Blae, a villager who helped out in church.
Four large craters now dot the area, the result of the blasts; some believe the churches were the target. But luckily, the death toll was limited because the school was closed. For some time, its pupils have been attending lessons in a nearby forest.
KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee described the bombing as a “war crime”. For him, “It is very important to stop the supply of fuel for the junta military’s aircraft,” to limit the attacks.
“I ask again that the international community take more effective action against the junta,” he added.
Following the bombing of Lay Wah, Myanmar’s exiled National Unity Government (NUG), which includes former MPs from Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League of Democracy, issued a statement condemning the raid.
“We convey our condolences to all those who have lost their lives,” the press release said. “ We pledge that we will do our utmost to bring justice for all those lives lost, be it national or international,”
Myanmar’s military junta has repeatedly attacked civilian targets in Karen and Kachin states and Sagaing and Magwe regions. So far, the bombing campaign has killed at least 460 civilians, including many children.
👉 Just in:
One person was killed and eight others wounded when rebels opposed to the ruling junta attacked a state celebration in eastern Myanmar today, the military said.
The nation has been in turmoil since Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government was toppled in an army coup almost two years ago.
Long-established ethnic rebel groups, as well as dozens of “People’s Defence Forces” (PDF), have emerged in opposition.
The junta said one man was killed when a rebel group and PDF shelled an event in eastern Kayah’s capital Loikaw early Sunday as people gathered to celebrate the anniversary of the state’s recognition.
“The artillery fell at the celebration area near city hall and at the ward where people were staying,” a junta statement said.
Among those wounded were six students, as well as a man and a woman, the military said, adding that some security services personnel were also hurt.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
More than 2,700 civilians have been killed since the military grabbed power in February 2021, according to a local monitoring group.
The junta blames anti-coup fighters for a civilian death toll it has put at almost 3,900. — AFP
💭 Storms and tornadoes caused extensive damage to several communities across the U.S. Southeast on Thursday, including in Alabama, where at least 25 tornadoes were reported, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
At least six fatalities have been confirmed in Autauga County, Alabama, located in the central part of the state, Emergency Management Director Ernie Baggett told Weather.com. “The best we can tell is about 40 homes have major damage or have been completely destroyed,” Baggett added.
The county’s coroner, Buster Barber, told CNN that emergency workers are still searching for bodies.
In Selma, officials called the city a “disaster area” as a high-end EF2 or EF3 tornado rolled through and lifted debris at least 16,000 feet up into the air, WSFA 12 reported. The storm was also reported to have caused major damage to roads and vehicles in the city.
Selma officials have enforced a curfew extending from dusk to dawn Thursday night.
No fatalities have been reported in Selma, but multiple people have been injured. The tornado also hit the Dallas County Jail, and inmates are currently being transferred to other counties’ facilities in the state, according to WSFA 12.
Southeastern States: Includes Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
While worldwide love of the music brings people to hot spots such as Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans seemingly without effort, the biggest potential challenge could be mustering cooperation across the Americana Music Triangle’s five states, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas.
❖ Rainbos/ Colors of Zion / የጽዮን ቀለማት ❖ ‘Rainbow’ in Ethiopic = “The Belt of Mary” ❖
A Rainbow Glows after the Tornado Blows between Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama
Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of singer and actor Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley, as well as the sole heir to her father’s estate at Graceland
☆ Born: February 1, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
✞ Died: January 12, 2023, Los Angeles, California, United States
Lisa Marie Presley thanked enthusiastic supporters for traveling from around the world to visit the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s personal home.
Days before Lisa Marie Presley passed away Thursday, Jan. 12, she attended an event at Graceland in Memphis to honor her father, Elvis Presley, for what would have been his 88th Birthday Celebration.
During her brief remarks at the estate, she thanked enthusiastic supporters and applauded their willingness to travel from around the world to visit the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s personal home.
“It’s been a while; I missed you,” Presley opened her remarks Sunday.
After a member of the audience shouted, “We love you, Lisa,” she responded: “And I love you.”
“I keep saying you’re the only people that can bring me out of my house. I’m not kidding,” Presley added, drawing a laugh from those in attendance.
“Today, he [Elvis Presley] would have been 88 years old. That’s hard to believe,” his daughter said. “I think that he would be proud.”
She also commented on the film “Elvis,” released in 2022, to much fanfare. Austin Butler (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “The Dead Don’t Die”) played the titular role in the musical drama that showed the star’s childhood and his rise to fame in the 1950s.
The film also starred Tom Hanks, who played Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
“I think the movie was incredible,” Presley said Sunday, Jan. 8. “I am very proud of it and I hope you guys are too.”
The soft-spoken Presley also said she “really appreciated” how people “come from all over the world” to visit Graceland and honor her father.
“It’s moving to me and my family. Thank you,” she said before waving to the crowd and exiting the stage.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — The music that changed the world started as the music of slaves, plowboys and outlaws in five states along the Mississippi River.
Today, that roots music carries a host of names, such as Americana, which Grammy-winning songwriter Rodney Crowell can define succinctly, if a bit mysteriously.
“I always say when people ask me, ‘What is Americana music?’ ” said Crowell, who is an Americana Music Association board member, “I would say it’s poetry driven.”
It is the poetry of hardscrabble lives encompassing blues, folk and rock ‘n’ roll.
Now, Leiper’s Fork businessman and musician Aubrey Preston and the Franklin-based Americana Music Association are launching the Americana Music Triangle — an ambitious, multistate tourism venture they hope can pull the different styles, stories and places under one umbrella for the sake of musical preservation and economic development.
Preston, who helped create the statewide Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways program, believes a musical- and cultural-based trail program could be a boon for tourism across the Deep South. If successful, its impact could be felt along the three points of the triangle — from Broadway in Nashville to Beale Street in Memphis to Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Posted by addisethiopia / አዲስ ኢትዮጵያ on January 6, 2023
💭 The Coat of Arms of His Holiness Benedict XVI, clearly showing the influence of the Ethiopian tradition, including the Red, Gold and Green colors of Zion. We also see ‘Caput Aethiopum’ (literally “Ethiopian Head”)
🔥 Genocide Alert: Attacks on Ethiopia’s oldest Churches and Monastries.
There are new reports that the joint Eritrean & Ethiopian fascists forces are bombarding Debre Damo, one of THE OLDEST MONASTRIES of the Orthodox Church (6th century), with heavy artillery. Dozens of civilian casualties, mainly monks, also reported
Saint Abune Aregawi (also called Za-Mika’el ‘Aragawi) was a sixth-century monk, whom tradition holds founded the Monastery.
💭 History repeats itself:
🔥 Amharas & Oromos bombing Tigray, Using Rape, Hunger & forced resettlement (Mengistu did it back then, Abiy Ahmedl is doing the same evil now) as a Weapon against People in Tigray for the past 130 years:-
😈 Menelik ll: Half Oromo + Half Amhara = Oromo (Crypto-Muslim / Man of the flesh)
😈 Haile Selassie: Half Oromo + Half Amhara = Oromo (Crypto-Muslim / Man of the flesh)
😈 Mengistu Hailemariam: Half Oromo + Half Amhara = Oromo (Crypto-Muslim / Man of the flesh)
😈 Abiy Ahmed Ali ´= Half Oromo + Half Amhara = Oromo (Crypto-Muslim / Man of the flesh)
✤✤✤ [Galatians 5:19-21]✤✤✤
“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”