Pope Francis appointed 13 new cardinals in a surprise move on Sunday, again putting his stamp on the future of a Church he wants to be more open as most of those named are considered progressive on social issues.

If foreigners hold leadership positions in religious organisations or make donations to these organisations, there is a chance that they could impose divisive values here or even push for a political agenda which would undermine the Republic’s separation of religion and state.

Fr. Antonio Yao Shun, a liturgical expert, was ordained as bishop of Jining (diocese also known as Ulanqab, in Inner Mongolia). The ceremony took place on August 26 in Jining Cathedral.

Carrying a lethal weapon onto church property was considered "inappropriate" under the policies of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now, it's prohibited.

In a letter to the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches, Pope Francis said he is praying for them, “so that in these days of encounter, prayer and reflection” they might be able “to have a living experience of the Holy Spirit, who animates and gives strength to Christian witness.”

In the last three years there have been over 400 attacks on churches and other places of worship in Northern Ireland, according to a new study. It means that, on average, a crime against a place of worship in Northern Ireland takes place almost every other day.

Since 2002, the monks from Samorang Pagoda in Cambodia have protected a 71-square-mile tract of forest from illegal logging and hunting.

After heavy lashing by monsoon rains since August 8, southern India’s Kerala state is limping back to normalcy with the rains subsiding since Monday.  However, the task of recovery and rehabilitation remains enormous and arduous. 

The Ukrainian cabinet of ministers approved an order regarding a Ukrainian state service of for ethnic policy and freedom of conscience.

Thien Phuc pagoda located in suburban Warszawa, Poland solemnly celebrated the Buddhist Parents Day 2019 – B.E.2563 at a ceremony held on August 18.

The 10th Religions for Peace World Assembly launched Tuesday (Aug. 20) with calls for religious groups to take decisive action on the main geopolitical issues of the day, and ending with an unusual “statement of commitment” aimed at fostering multireligious cooperation.

Devotees gather at Bagh Bhairav temple to offer prayers during the Bagh Bhairav Festival at Kirtipur in Kathmandu, Nepal, Aug. 18, 2019. Devotees offered prayers and made 108 rounds of the Bagh Bhairav temple to get rid of sins during the Bagh Bhairav Festival. (Photo by Sunil Sharma/Xinhua)

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a bombing at a wedding hall in Kabul that killed at least 63 people and injured more than 200. Survivors said the bomber was standing by a stage where children and adults were dancing and clapping when he detonated his explosives vest.

A 400-year-old temple in Japan is attempting to hot-wire interest in Buddhism with a robotic priest that it believes will change the face of the religion despite critics comparing the android to "Frankenstein's monster".

Muslims around the world are taking part in Eid Al-Adha festivities. The holiday commemorates the story of Ibrahim who Muslims believe was told by God to sacrifice his son as a test of his faith. They believe that God then told Ibrahim to sacrifice a sheep instead. Yasser Hakim looks at how Egyptians spend the three-day feast.