The military conflict in northern Ethiopia has drawn the attention of the world’s media and faith-based news websites have also reported on the destruction of religious sites. Sarah-Leah Pimentel explains the causes of the Ethiopian conflict and why the destruction of religiously significant places and objects is a deliberate war strategy to quell the uprising.

In 2019, Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel committee deemed him a worthy recipient of the prize stating that he had played a pivotal role by taking a “decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.”

Two years later, Ahmed seems to have joined forces with Eritrea’s President, Isaias Afwerki, to wage a war in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.

Continue reading Religious desecration as an act of war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region at spotlight.africa.

At 1pm today in Rome the Holy Father Pope Francis announced that he has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Queenstown, South Africa, the Reverend Fr. Paul Siphiwo Vanqa, S.A.C., until now diocesan administrator of the same see. At the same time, the Holy Father also announced his appointment as bishop of the diocese of Kimberley, South Africa, Bishop Duncan Theodore Tsoke, until now titular Bishop of Orreacelia and auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Johannesburg.

Continue reading Bishop Tsoke moves to Kimberley, Vanqa appointed to Queenstown. Mphiwe ordained for Rustenburg. at spotlight.africa.