World Religions News

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — At a memorial ceremony in central Kenya in early February, a photograph perched on a chair, with roses placed neatly next to it and candles burning in memory of Charles Waithaka Wangari, a 31-year-old Kenyan who died in the Russian war in Ukraine in December.

Waithaka, a rising soccer player, had traveled to Russia in October to work as a heavy machinery operator at a factory, but had been conscripted into the Russian army and deployed to the front lines soon after he arrived. He was killed by an explosion at the front line, barely two months after arriving in Russia. His family got word of his death on Christmas Day and was told that his remains could not be retrieved due to intense fighting. 

“I plead with the government to bring back my son’s body, so that I can ​​properly bury him. I know if I ​​bury him, I will heal and find inner peace,” Bibiana Wangari, his mother​, told Religion News Service last week. “At the moment, I feel a lot of pain and cannot heal until I see his remains.

According to local news reports, Waithaka’s travel to Russia was facilitated by contacts in Russian Orthodox Church circles, and some human rights organizations are raising questions about the role the church is playing in recruiting other young Kenyans to go to Ukraine.

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Fredrick Odhiambo Ojiro, head of rapid response for Vocal Africa, a pan-African human rights organization​, said Russian church leaders have promoted the prospect of working in Russia among young Kenyans. “They have told the youth the church has now come to provide those opportunities to young men in Russia. They are also using women to speak closely to the individuals, since they are calm and can be trusted more,” said Odhiambo in an interview.

The exact number of Kenyans who have traveled to ​​Russia is not known, but Odhiambo estimated that more than 500 individuals have been there in the past two years, most traveling on temporary tourist visas. Some 200 families ​​have reached out to Vocal Africa​ about their children’s situation.

Before​ ​traveling to Russia, the migrants were promised salaries of 350,000 to 400,000 Kenyan shillings (about $3,000), according to Odhiambo, but many never received the money after their legal documents were confiscated. “They lie to you to use ​the commander’s details to open a bank account. When the money is deposited, they never give it to you. In fact, when money is put in the account, you shall have been taken to the front line,” said Odhiambo.

A Russian Orthodox priest in Nairobi, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak for the church, told Religion News Service that the church sends seminary students to Ukraine to study, not to fight, but said students are often warned that military recruitment can happen.

The priest said the church monitors the students’ status closely. “We can account for all the students that we have sent to study and those we have sent to the seminaries. I don’t think there is something malicious about this,” he said, adding, “None of them joined the military, not even a single one.”

The Russian church had a limited presence in Kenya and Africa until 2021, when it established the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa. The move challenged the traditional canonical jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria over all of the continent. Since then, more than 200 Russian Orthodox parishes have been created in 25 countries.

The Russian church’s expansion into Africa has widened a rift with the Greek Orthodox Church that began with disagreement over Ukraine’s national Orthodox church. In 2018, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, considered the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, recognized the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which had broken from the Russian Orthodox Church’s traditional oversight of Ukraine’s Orthodox Christians. 

Russia vociferously objected to Bartholomew’s support for the UOC, and since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the Russian Patriarch, Kirill, has portrayed the war as a holy cause. The Ukrainian government, meanwhile, has moved to suppress the remnant Russian-aligned church, accusing its priests of spying. 

“Since then, we have had them here, contrary to church canon law,” said the Rev. Evangelos Thiani, a Kenyan Orthodox priest who serves the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. “We still insist that Ukraine should be left to decide its political present and future,” he said.

Thiani said the Russian state has always used the church as a “soft power” and views its establishment of churches in Africa as part of the Kremlin’s push to wield influence there.

According to Paul Adoch, the director of Trace Kenya, a ​countertrafficking organization, some Kenyans find their way to Russia after going to the Middle East. “Individuals who find their way to the Middle East are then encouraged to travel further with the promise of working not within the military itself, but within the security zones within Russia. To that extent, it’s a lie,” he told RNS.

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The Kenyan government, which, according to Adoch, encourages its citizens to work abroad, has promised to shut down rogue recruiting agencies and to urge Russia to sign a ban on the recruitment of Kenyans as soldiers.

Waithaka’s mother urged the government to move quickly to bring back those who are alive and asking to be returned.

“Families are crying out. Please use all means to rescue their sons, so that they can join their families,” she pleaded, adding that some who return from Russia come back with injuries or permanently disabled. “They should be given some compensation and psychosocial support,” she said.

CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time for increased worship, religious reflection and charity. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast.

Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

First day of Ramadan expected around Feb. 18-19

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.

The start of the month traditionally depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the first day of Ramadan is expected to be on or around Feb. 18 or 19. The actual start date may vary among countries and Muslim communities due to declarations by multiple Islamic authorities around the globe on whether the crescent had been sighted or different methodologies used to determine the beginning of the month.

This year, the start of Ramadan is expected around the same time as Ash Wednesday, a solemn day of fasting and reflection that signals the start of Lent, the most penitential season of the church calendar for Catholics and many other Christians.

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, along with the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving and pilgrimage.

Muslims see various meanings and lessons in observing the fast.

It’s regarded as an act of worship to attain piety and one of submission to God. The devout see benefits, including practicing self-restraint, cultivating gratitude and empathizing with people who are poor and hungry.

The daily fast in Ramadan includes abstaining from all food and drink — not even a sip of water is allowed — from dawn to sunset, before breaking the fast in a meal known as “iftar” in Arabic.

Muslims typically stream into mosques for congregational prayers and dedicate more time to religious contemplation and the reading of the Quran, the Muslim holy book.

Charity is a hallmark of Ramadan. Among other ways of giving, many seek to provide iftar for those in need, distributing Ramadan boxes filled with pantry staples, handing out warm meals alongside such things as dates and juice or helping hold free communal meals.

Muslims eat a predawn meal, called “suhoor,” to hydrate and nurture their bodies ahead of the daily fast.

Exemptions from fasting

There are certain exemptions, such as for those who are unable to because of illness or travel. Those unable to fast due to being temporarily ill or traveling need to make up for the missed days of fasting later.

Cultural and social traditions associated with Ramadan

Muslims are ethnically and racially diverse and not all Ramadan traditions are rooted in religion. Some customs may transcend borders, while others can differ across cultures.

Many social rituals center on gathering and socializing after the daily fast. Some Muslims decorate their homes, put out Ramadan-themed tableware and centerpieces or throng to markets and Ramadan bazaars.

In Egypt, Ramadan is typically a festive time. Colorful lanterns, in different shapes and sizes, dangle from children’s hands and adorn homes. Ramadan songs may be played to welcome the month.

Ramadan’s soundscape in Egypt has traditionally included the predawn banging on drums by a “mesaharati” who roams neighborhoods, calling out to the faithful, sometimes by name, to wake them up for the suhoor meal.

New TV shows and communal meals

A lineup of new television series is another social fixture of the month in some countries, and advertisers compete for viewers’ attention.

In various regions, some Muslims worry that the month is getting commercialized, and say an emphasis on decorations, TV shows, outings or lavish iftar banquets can detract from Ramadan’s religious essence. Others say that a balance can be struck and that, in moderation, such rituals are part of the month’s festive spirit.

In Indonesia, Ramadan rituals vary across regions, reflecting the diversity of cultures. In deeply conservative Aceh province, animals are slaughtered during Meugang festivities, the meat cooked and shared with family, friends, poor people and orphans.

Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.

Across the island of Sumatra, after evening prayers, many boys and girls parade through the streets, carrying torches and playing Islamic songs.

In the United States, where Muslims make up a racially and ethnically diverse minority, gathering at mosques and Islamic centers when possible for iftar meals and prayers provides many Muslim families with a sense of community. Some Muslims also organize or attend interfaith iftar meals.

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Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

“What will mess you up most in life is the picture in your head of how it is supposed to be.” ~Unknown

I expected to get into college. I expected to have a career after a lot of hard work, and that one day I’d meet a nice man and we would get married. We would buy our first house together and start a family, picking out a crib and the baby’s “going home” outfit and organizing a drawer full of diapers. We’d have more babies and go on vacations and grow old together.

I expected that one day I’d …

CAIRO (AP) — One of Gaza’s last functioning large hospitals condemned the decision by Doctors Without Borders to pull out of operations over concerns about armed men, claiming on Sunday that the facility had installed civilian police for security.

The rare public friction between two well-known health care providers in Gaza came as the Palestinian death toll since the current ceasefire surpassed 600. At least 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire in the last 24 hours, hospitals said.

Doctors Without Borders, also known by its acronym MSF, said in a statement Saturday that all its noncritical medical operations at Nasser Hospital were suspended due to security breaches that posed “serious” threats to its teams and patients. MSF said there had been an increase in patients and staff seeing armed men in parts of the compound since the U.S.-brokered October ceasefire was reached.

Nasser Hospital said Sunday the increase in armed men was due to a civilian police presence aimed at protecting patients and staff and said MSF’s “allegations are factually incorrect, irresponsible and pose a serious risk to a protected civilian medical facility.”

One of Gaza’s few functioning hospitals

Hundreds of patients and war-wounded have been treated daily at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, and the facility was a hub for Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for Israeli hostages as part of the current ceasefire deal.

MSF said its teams had reported “a pattern of unacceptable acts including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons.” The suspension occurred in January but was only recently announced.

Nasser Hospital staff say that in recent months it has been repeatedly attacked by masked, armed men and militias, which is why the presence of an armed civilian police force is crucial.

Hamas remains the dominant force in areas of Gaza not under Israeli control, including the area where Nasser Hospital is located. But other armed groups have mushroomed as a result of the war, including groups backed by Israel’s army in the Israeli-controlled part of the strip.

Israel’s military said it had intelligence that Nasser Hospital is being used as a headquarters and military post for senior Hamas officials, without providing evidence. It called MSF’s move “an important decision, but one that comes too late.”

Throughout the war, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, including Nasser, accusing the militant group of operating in or around them. Hamas security men often have been seen inside hospitals, blocking access to some areas.

Some hostages released from Gaza have said they spent time during captivity in a hospital, including Nasser Hospital.

11 Palestinians killed in strikes across Gaza

At least 11 Palestinians were killed Sunday by Israeli fire in Gaza, hospital authorities said.

The dead include five men in their 20s who were killed in the eastern part of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies. The strike hit a group of people close to the Yellow Line that separates Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of Gaza, it said.

Rami Shaqra said his son, al-Baraa, was among the militants securing the area from potential attacks by Israeli forces or Israeli-backed armed groups when they were hit. He said they were killed by an airstrike.

“They were in the area they say is safe,” Shaqra said.

Associated Press footage from the morgue showed at least two of the men had headbands denoting membership in the Qassam Brigades, the militant arm of Hamas.

In northern Gaza, a drone strike hit a group of people in the Falluja area of Jabaliya refugee camp, killing five people, according to Shifa Hospital. A separate drone strike killed a man in Gaza City, according to the hospital.

Israel’s military said it had carried out multiple strikes in response to several ceasefire violations near the Yellow Line, including militants attempting to hide in debris and others who attempted to cross the line while armed.

The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal that took effect Oct. 10 attempted to halt more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.

Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing 602 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.

Two Israeli soldiers attacked by ultra-Orthodox Jews

In Israel, two female Israeli soldiers were rescued from riots in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak. Footage shows two soldiers being hurried away by police from thousands of ultra-Orthodox men running after them and yelling.

Many in Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community are furious over laws that may force them to serve in the Israeli military, holding frequent protests.

Israeli police said the soldiers were performing a welfare visit but had not coordinated it with police. At least 22 people were arrested as protesters set police motorcycles on fire, attacked officers, threw trash and overturned a police car, police said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned the attack on the soldiers but blamed an “extremist minority” for the violence.

Roughly 1.3 million ultra-Orthodox Jews make up about 13% of Israel’s population and oppose enlistment because they believe studying full time in religious seminaries is their most important duty. The broad exemptions from mandatory military service have reopened a deep divide in the country and infuriated much of the general public, especially during the war in Gaza.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.

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Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war