Kidnapped priest in Nigeria regains freedom after 2 months in captivity

Jan 24, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic news from around the world that you might have missed this week:

Kidnapped priest in Nigeria regains freedom after 2 months in captivity

Father Bobbo Paschal, who was abducted on Nov. 17, 2025, when gunmen attacked St. Stephen Parish in the Kaduna Archdiocese, has been released after spending two months in captivity, the Nigerian Metropolitan See has confirmed, according to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa.

In a statement on behalf of Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the chancellor of the Kaduna Archdiocese said Paschal was released on Jan. 17 and conveyed “profound gratitude” to all those who worked and prayed for the priest’s release.

Nigeria has been battling a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing.

Church in Aleppo launches emergency home-repair initiative

More than 10 days after fighting subsided in parts of Aleppo, dozens of Christian families remain unable to return to their homes, according to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. Damage sustained during recent clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish Asayish units left entire residential blocks partially uninhabitable, triggering a new wave of displacement.

In response, the Council of Christian Churches in Aleppo launched an emergency housing rehabilitation project, led by Archbishop Youssef Tobji and supported by several local Christian organizations. The initiative focuses on rapid assessments and urgent repairs to make homes safe for return.

Church leaders are urging donors and humanitarian partners to accelerate assistance, warning that prolonged displacement could further erode Aleppo’s fragile Christian presence.

Iraqi Christian bloc seeks unified voice in Parliament

Christian political representation in Iraq entered a new phase this past week with the formation of the Soyana Bloc parliamentary bloc, now the largest Christian grouping in the Iraqi Legislature. This brings together three newly elected lawmakers who say the move is meant to end years of fragmented representation and external political influence over Christian quota seats.

Bloc leader Kaldo Ramzi Oganna told ACI MENA that the initiative responds to decades of displacement, demographic pressure, and marginalization faced by Christians since 2003. He stressed that the group’s goal is not symbolic presence but active participation in national decision-making as an equal partner within Iraq’s political system.

Among the bloc’s priorities are passing a dedicated Christian personal status law, revising provisions on the Islamization of minors in the national ID law, and reforming the quota system to ensure only Christian voters elect Christian representatives. The bloc also aims to translate political representation into tangible improvements in security, services, and investment in historic Christian areas to encourage return and long-term stability.

Archaeological evidence points to early Christianity in Hatra

New attention has turned to the ancient city of Hatra, where archaeological findings suggest Christianity reached the region far earlier than commonly assumed, ACI MENA reported. Located southwest of Mosul, the UNESCO-listed site once stood as a powerful trading kingdom between the Roman and Parthian empires.

Researchers highlight a marble slab discovered near Hatra’s main temple bearing a carved cross and Syriac inscription reading “Shimona, son of the martyr.” Additional crosses etched into building stones, believed to be “masons’ marks” left by Christian craftsmen, reinforce the case for a Christian presence during the city’s later period.

Historians also cite early Syriac writings, including those attributed to Bardaisan, referencing Christian communities in Hatra. Together, the material and textual evidence points to a complex religious landscape in Mesopotamia, where Christianity took root alongside older traditions during the first centuries of the faith.

Macau Diocese in China celebrates 450th anniversary

On Jan. 23, the Diocese of Macau in China began a special jubilee year as it began a series of celebratory events to mark its 450th anniversary with a Mass in the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady.

According to Fides, the Diocese of Macau has played a key role in the evangelizing mission of the Church in the Far East. Today the diocese has “nine parishes, 28 educational institutions, Caritas centers, and a publishing house that also takes care of communication. Over 70 priests and seminarians together with about 130 nuns offer pastoral service to the approximately 30,000 baptized.”

Signature of leading Russian Catholic prelate left off new statement

A recent statement published on Jan. 15 signed by representatives of the Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical, and other churches condemning alleged persecution of Christians in Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, and Armenia was not signed by the leading Catholic prelate in Russia, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, FSCB, according to the Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU), and reported in the Tablet.

The spokesman for the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Father Kirill Gorbunov, said the archbishop “did not sign the statement because he has no authority to make official statements regarding other countries.”

Gorbunov said, according the Russian news agency RIA, that Pezzi “generally shares the position expressed in the statement, but the internal rules of the Roman Catholic Church do not allow him to make similar statements on his behalf.”

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/269307/kidnapped-priest-in-nigeria-regains-freedom-after-two-months-in-captivity