Lead story
Editor's note:
The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca was back in full swing this year, after being scaled down during the pandemic. AP’s Religion Team provided crucial journalistic and financial support to Middle East staffers, resulting in outstanding coverage. Highlights included footage from inside the Grand Mosque and from the prayers on Mount Arafat. A series of feature stories began with profiles of Muslim pilgrims from far-flung countries preparing for the Hajj. Other stories looked at Mecca’s year-round residents and Saudi Arabia’s ambitious development plans. For a wrap-up story, AP looked at the thousands of migrant workers who stay behind to clean up after the pilgrims. The AP team in Mecca overcame boiling heat, minimal sleep and movement restrictions enforced by Saudi minders. One of their editors messaged: “You never know what’s going to happen when plans hit reality. Especially when the reality is 45 degrees (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and 2 million people. But you guys really pulled it off!”
Religion News
Supreme Court ruling in favor of mail carrier celebrated across religious spectrum
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After the fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion a year ago, it shook efforts to legalize and make abortions safer in Africa. The court’s ruling a year ago has emboldened some U.S.-based organizations that advocate against abortion in Africa, especially in largely Christian countries. By Cara Anna/The Associated Press
Argentine bishop named by Pope Francis to lead a powerful Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy rejects accusations that he refused to believe victims of sexual abuse by a priest. By Almudena Calatrava/The Associated Press
The Supreme Court rules for a designer who doesn’t want to make wedding websites for gay couples
In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples. By Jessica Gresko/The Associated Press
Summertime spirits: Village of Lily Dale reopens for believers and doubters alike
The 140-year-old village, a mecca for spiritualism and mediumship, will draw regulars and curious first-timers to cross paths after a hiatus of three years. By Fiona Andre/Religion News Service
Commentary and Analysis
Two sociologists break down how cases related to plaintiffs' beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights have fared in federal courts over several decades. By Kelsy Burke and Emily Kazyak for The Conversation
It's a different colorblindness than the one envisioned in King's 'Dream' speech. By Cheryl Townsend Gilkes/Religion News Service
Consigned to jobs in sanitation and other hazardous fields, Christians, the largest religious minority group in Pakistan, face a difficult time in the country. By Myriam Renaud for The Conversation
The return of an important monument to Mexico puts a spotlight on a culture whose influence is still felt in the Americas today. By Karl Taube for The Conversation
Water mist is sprayed on Muslim pilgrims as they pray on the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Around two million pilgrims are converging on Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca for the largest Hajj since the coronavirus pandemic severely curtailed access to one of Islam's five pillars. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
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