Monday, July 10, 2023

This Week in Religion - Attending the Hajj under a sweltering sun

Lead story

An overhead view of a crowd during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Many people in the crowd are carrying umbrellas.

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!”  

David Crary, Religion Team Leader at The Associated Press, smiles for a photo.
 

Religion News

Supreme Court ruling in favor of mail carrier celebrated across religious spectrum

Many U.S. religious minorities said the ruling was a much-needed corrective to the challenges they face in balancing their work with their sincerely held religious practices. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service

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 

Designer Lorie Smith speaks at a set of microphones. There are people gathered behind her.

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

 
Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill. There are fixtures that spray water mist.

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)

Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.

 
 
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment