Plus, the exiled Afghan official fighting to safeguard Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and more headlines  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	In Photos: Romanian Orthodox Church offers relief to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine Plus, the exiled Afghan official fighting to safeguard Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and more headlines Religion Unplugged Mar 9 Hi ReligionUnplugged readers, The Romanian Orthodox Church set up a base at the border town Siret from the first day of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24. As thousands of refugees enter each hour, volunteers are prepared with warm drinks, food, medicine, diapers, temporary shelter from the cold and other necessities. They then help with an entire range of needs, from installing new SIM cards in phones to arranging transportation elsewhere. Romanian photojournalist Alexandra Radu visited the relief center and took an inside look at what the church is doing. You don’t want to miss it. Gil Zohar spoke to Abdul Manan Shiway e-Sharq, an exiled Afghan official who is determined to safeguard his country’s cultural heritage. He remains determined to help recover several missing artifacts, one of which is a medieval siddur (prayer book) that now resides in the Museum of the Bible. See you next week! If you like what you read, share this with your family and friends. Share In Photos: Romanian Orthodox Church Offers Relief To Refugees Fleeing The War In Ukraine Along with local nonprofits and private initiatives, the Romanian Orthodox Church is at the front line of the response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. The church established a base at the Siret border crossing from the first day of the Russian invasion on Feb. 24. by Alexandra Radu Exiled Afghan Official Vows To Repatriate Stolen Treasures — Including A 1,200-Year-Old Siddur by Gil Zohar Abdul Manan Shiway e-Sharq, the former deputy minister for information and publications of Afghanistan, has relocated to Germany and is continuing his campaign to safeguard his country’s multicultural heritage — and repatriate looted antiquities. 5 Things You Didn't Know About The Feast Of St. Patrick by Alicia Young St. Patrick’s Day is once again upon us. Most think they know what the holiday is all about — like the need to wear green so we do not get pinched. But there’s so much more to this very important holiday for millions of people in Ireland and around the world. ‘Synod On Synodality’: The Catholic Church Wants To Hear From You! by Clemente Lisi (ANALYSIS) We interrupt your reading about the war in Ukraine with a very important post about the global Catholic Synod on Synodality. Synod on synodality? Say that three times fast. For some Catholics it’s kind of a Zen thing. 5 Women Who Marked History By Their Strength Of Action Through Faith  by Camilla Da Silva On this International Women's Day, here are five women of faith to remember who were pillars for building their societies: Sojourner Truth, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Prathia Laura Ann Hall, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Zilda Arns. Christian Medical Mission Predisan Transforms Health Care For Region Of Honduras by Erik Tryggestad When a medical ministry built an impressive clinic in rural Honduras, some feared the government would take it over. Nearly two decades later, the ministry has experienced a takeover of a different kind. Through a process called “decentralization,” the Honduran health services turned administration of the rural clinics over to Predisan. How — And How Not — To Give To Ukrainian Relief by Warren Cole Smith When crisis hits around the world, as it has in Ukraine, Christians are often first in line to help. Here are a few principles and tips to keep in mind as you give to Ukrainian relief efforts and assessments of some ministries that are raising funds for Ukrainian relief. Delving Into The Life Of Mary Magdalene And Debunking Centuries-Old Myths by Clemente Lisi (REVIEW) One of the most misunderstood biblical figures has to be Mary Magdalene. A new book tries to finally set the record straight with a full examination of her life. In fact, centuries of distortions and myths is what theologian and author Adriana Valero tries to uncover in order to paint a fuller, and truthful, representation of one of the most important women from the New Testament. Opinion Must Reads: Understanding The Russia-Ukraine War From A Religious Perspective In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. highlights the religion angles key to understanding the Russia-Ukraine war. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith. Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column early on Fridays for only $5 a month. Click the button below to subscribe! Subscribe to Weekend Plug-In When Ancient Texts Meet High Tech, Behold, Will We Get Near-Instant Bibles? by Richard Ostling Simplicity: Widely Praised, Hardly Practiced by Michael Metzger Why I Am Now Opposed To Western Intervention In Africa by Delta Heliso Don’t miss our latest podcast Ukraine Prepares to Stand Against a Bully Mariya Kapinos is a Ukrainian journalist and game designer normally based in Kyev. She fled her city in recent days as Russia prepared to invade. As tanks rolled into her home country, Kapinos spoke with ReligionUnplugged.com executive editor Paul Glader about the military, political and religious conflicts between her homeland, Ukraine, and Russia. An alumna of The Media Project's European Journalism Institute in Prague, Kapinos explains the anger, loss and fear that millions of Ukrainians are feeling right now. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or listen directly on our website.  In case you missed it Editorial picks from our archives Russian Invasion Reveals Fissures Among Orthodox Christians by Meagan Clark Orthodox churches around the world are all preparing for Easter, a celebration of Christ defeating death, by reflecting on Judgment Day. Despite this relative unity in worship, the Orthodox schism between Moscow and Constantinople that broke open in 2019 is cracking further. What is good and what is evil in the war in Ukraine is far from agreed upon. Q&A: Orthodox Ecumenism Expert Cyril Hovorun Talks Ukraine, Russia And Schism by Jovan Tripkovic In the last couple years, Ukraine has been in the center of the Orthodox schism between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate over independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Many Orthodox theologians argue that the war in Ukraine will determine the future of the OCU. Cyril Hovorun is one of them. Thanks again for reading! ReligionUnplugged is a non-profit news organization that benefits greatly from your contributions. Your monetary donations allow us to continue our reporting and expand our coverage. You can always donate on our website by clicking the button below. Donate Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. For $5 a month, subscribe to our Weekend Plug-In Substack. Any news tips for us? Is there a story you think we should be covering? We want to know! Email our managing editor Meagan at meagan@themediaproject.org. Like Comment Share Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. For $5 a month, subscribe to receive our Weekend Plug-In in your inbox.  Any news tips for us? Is there a story you think we should be covering? We want to know! Email our managing editor Meagan at meagan@themediaproject.org.  © 2022 Religion Unplugged Unsubscribe 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104