Islamic State (IS) jihadists are spreading violence and death. The entire world is still shaken by the horrific murder of James Foley and Steven Sotloff, the two US journalists who were decapitated and the macabre scenes captured on video. International politics is trying to react but Muslim countries are expected to take more concrete initiatives.

The human toll, of course, is the most important concern: the killing of innocent people, the rape and enslavement of women, the brutal uprooting of a population whose ancestors have lived there for untold generations.

But the story of civilization that is recorded in everything from stone tablets and sculptures of winged lions to ancient monasteries and languages is also very much at risk as the Islamic State tries to establish a caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

The news from Iraq can be terrifying from a distance. But up close and in person, Iraqi families could not be more gracious, welcoming and kind — despite the dire backdrop in which they are living.

In a tent where the heat is sweltering and water is in scarce supply, you are offered a bottle of cold water. Under an open sky where a family — who lived in a nice home less than a month ago, and today lives under a tree — you are graciously offered tea. Above all, you are offered apologies that they are not able to offer you anything more.

Francis may be paying a visit to Turkey in November. Before the Pope’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, had expressed the hope that Francis would follow in the footsteps of St. Andrew and go on a pilgrimage to Turkey to mark the feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on 30 November. Francis immediately agreed but there needed to be sent from the Turkish government.

The sun of August 27 rises to mark the emergence of 11 stars in the horizon of media… a media dedicated to serving humanity… the entire humanity.

Eleven years ago, abouna.org site was launched to highlight the horizon of e-media and become an inevitable media outlet with the morning coffee.

Since the marking of the 10th anniversary of the site last year, too many major events have taken place worldwide. This site was one of the leading sources of information that professionally shed light on the events.

Culture is the set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of people, but different for each individual, communicated from one generation to the next (Matsumoto, 1996). While violence, as defined by the World Health Organization, is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation.

Fresh evidence uncovered by Amnesty International indicates that members of the armed group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) have launched a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Iraq, carrying out war crimes, including mass summary killings and abductions, against ethnic and religious minorities.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center the number of Middle Eastern countries experiencing sectarian violence between religious groups has doubled from five to 10 since 2011.

The research finds an increase in faith-based hostilities and that Christians faced persecution in growing number of countries in the region.

“The king of Bahrain claims to be willing to help 200 Christian families from Mosul, and receive them in Bahrain. This shows his generosity towards Christians”. Combonian Camillo Ballin, the Apostolic Vicar for Northern Arabia, related the episode himself in an interview he gave a few days ago to Vatican Radio.

Christians and other religious minorities who have fled areas in Iraq that have fallen under Islamic State control are now helping one another to survive as refugees, an aid worker said.

“They themselves have been displaced and they’re going around caring for those who are in need, who are in situations like they are,” Todd Daniels, International Christian Concern regional manager for the Middle East, told EWTN News August 27.