"This is an act of desecration and unacceptable contempt," Cisint told Il Tempo. "Italy is in a constant state of retreat, and that is a serious mistake. We must work to bring people back to churches instead of yielding such important spaces to Islam."

Gesù coperto con un telo durante la preghiera islamica a Monfalcone. L'europarlamentare della Lega Anna Maria Cisint: "INACCETTABILE!" pic.twitter.com/Jn34WehY2s

— Lega - Salvini Premier (@LegaSalvini) June 6, 2025

Don Flavio, the priest in charge of the church, said he would review the image documenting the event, but noted, as quoted in Il Giornale, "Clearly, no one should have done something like that."

Cisint emphasized, "No Islamic edict requires the symbols of other religions to be concealed in order to pray." She described the act of covering the statue as "ostentatious, brutal and provocative," adding that it amounted to a "deep insult to devout Christians."

"The West, meanwhile, extends a hand to its executioner in a gesture of peace that is, first of all, useless and, second, ridiculous - or rather, tragic," she continued, as cited in Il Tempo. She warned that "relations between peoples and religions must be managed with extreme caution, without granting concessions."

"Respect means knowing where you are, whose house you are in, and what the rules of the game are," Cisint concluded.

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The New York Post reported Monday that the bus driver stopped his vehicle along the roadside while transporting students to Prospect International Elementary School in Brooklyn and launched into a speech about his religious beliefs to a group of students, some of whom were Jewish. The driver told the children that only Jesus could save them, not religion itself, according to a parent who spoke to the newspaper.

When one student asked whether Jesus was Jewish, the driver made antisemitic statements about Jewish responsibility for Jesus' death. "Yes, he was Jewish and actually Jews – his own people – killed him," the driver said, according to the parent's account.

NYC bus driver allegedly held students captive on way to school and claimed Jews killed Jesus in antisemitic rant https://t.co/7SakCFIbA8 pic.twitter.com/NvuIlEw6WG

— New York Post (@nypost) May 26, 2025

 Some students sent real-time text messages to their parents about the incident, and one Jewish student broke down crying during the driver's speech, the parent claimed. At one point, the driver asked the students to pray while distributing white hats bearing the message "I am with you always" with a black cross engraved between the words.

"What upset me was that the children were late to school," one parent said. "The driver definitely held the children hostage. The Jewish parents were certainly the most upset."

The driver has been suspended pending investigation of the incident, though school officials have not provided additional details about disciplinary measures or whether criminal charges might be filed.

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A Nativity Scene crafted in Bethlehem and displayed at the Vatican's Paul VI hall features a distinctive and controversial addition this year – a cloth that appeared to be a Palestinian keffiyeh (traditional head dress) covering the baby Jesus' manger, donated by the Palestinian Embassy to the Holy See. The inclusion of the traditional Arab scarf has sparked discussion.

The display has drawn particular attention for its connection to Jesus' historical Jewish identity, as he was born to Jewish parents in what was then the Roman province of Judea.

One online commentator wrote, "Does the pope think Jesus wasn't a Jew either? Did he even read the Bible?" Another outraged X user wrote, "The pope is exploiting Christmas to advance the ridiculous effort to rebrand Jesus as Palestinian rather than what He was – a Jew who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of a Messiah."

The pope was previously under fire for suggesting that "What is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide" in excerpts from an upcoming book published by La Stampa.

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Hundreds took to social media platform X after the Israeli Foreign Ministry made a factual error about Jesus' birthplace in a post on their account titled "Israel," and then corrected it.

Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, is under attack by Hezbollah.

The Israeli town, also known as 'the Arab capital of Israel,' has a population that is around 70% Muslim and 30% Christian. pic.twitter.com/OiJSuOq6BO

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) September 22, 2024

Early Sunday, Israeli northern cities suffered a major attack by the Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah, with over 100 rockets being launched. One affected city was Nazareth – known for its large Arab population and significant Christian minority (about 30% of its residents) – where rocket debris caused a fire.

Lmfao you guys are something else. pic.twitter.com/L2e85G5lye

— Assaf, MD (@_Assaf_MD) September 22, 2024

The account reported the attack, initially saying "Nazareth, the birthplace of Jesus, is under attack by Hezbollah." The post was also accompanied by a photo showing a fire in Nazareth, which was later clarified to be from a previous incident, not the current attack. Users quickly responded with comments criticizing the account's admin for its lack of knowledge, as well as referring to it as a "propaganda fail."

"The idiots running this official account don't even know the birthplace of Jesus is Bethlehem," one comment said. "Another day another propaganda fail," another user added. The ongoing online battle between anti-Israel users and pro-Israel users is nothing new, yet some comments even targeted Jews, saying: "Why are you flexing Jesus? Didn't your people kill him?"

Video: Interceptions over Nazareth

The Foreign Ministry swiftly corrected the post, mentioning Nazareth as Jesus' hometown, but not quickly enough to avert the current social media buzz.

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A father and son practicing as Orthodox rabbis in America have been accused by anti-missionary investigators of being secret evangelical Christians, the British Jewish Chronicle reported.

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According to the report, the claims regarding Michael and Calev Isaacson – who have changed their family name from Dawson — would cause disastrous halachic problems for the Jewish community if true.

The two men reportedly performed sacred rituals such as writing Torah scrolls, washing the dead, and conducting weddings, divorces and even conversions.

Investigators allege neither man is Jewish, making any rituals in which they took part invalid, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

They two are suspected of being a "sleeper cell" of evangelical Christians who may ultimately attempt to make aliyah and embed themselves within Israeli society, the report continued.

This week's front page pic.twitter.com/cTJ6XGnIIq

— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) October 21, 2021

"Extensive research" has found that the Isaacsons, who have been accepted and welcomed in a number of Orthodox Jewish communities across the US, has reportedly "shown no evidence of traceable Jewish heritage or any official conversion by members of the Isaacson family," according to the Jewish Chronicle.

An investigation by the Jewish Chronicle revealed that Michael Dawson grew up in a Lutheran home and he and his wife were married in a Lutheran wedding.

An aunt of Michael Isaacson was shocked to hear about his professed Jewish identity, telling the Jewish Chronicle she found his claims over his background "bizarre".

There is no evidence that the Isaacsons are attempting to convert Jews to Christianity, but, it should be noted, they have also refused to renounce their belief in Jesus.

The Isaacsons currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona. The family was based in Texas between 2014 and 2016, when Michael Isaacson worked as a supervisor in the Houston Kashrut Association.

They have also lived as Orthodox Jews in Portland, Oregon and Milwaukee.

Investigators at anti-missionary organization Beynenyu claim the family always moves to a different location once confronted by suspicious rabbis and fellow members of their community.

According to a letter sent by investigators at Beyneynu to the Chief Rabbinate's office in Israel, the Jewish Chronicle reported, the Isaacson family was questioned in the past by suspicious rabbis who had heard rumors of their Christianity. The letter said: "They do not deny their beliefs in Jesus and give detailed explanations regarding their belief that Jesus is the Jewish messiah."

Beyneynu says that immediately after these confrontations, they have more than once fled the community, only to resurface elsewhere.

During their travels, the family has reportedly acquired documentation from rabbinical authorities attesting to their Jewish identity without proper checks being made to ensure their claims were accurate. This has enabled them to build an identity as Jews, which Beyneynu fears they plan to use eventually to immigrate to Israel.

Talking to the Jewish Chronicle, an Orthodox teacher in America who wished to remain anonymous, said he met Michael Isaacson and his wife, Summer, multiple times.

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"I would have no reason to suspect that they were anything more than just sort of California-style Ba'ale Teshuva," he said.

He believes their ultimate aim is to create "a backstory" that will allow their children to marry Jews. Ultimately, he told the Jewish Chronicle, he thinks they are part of a wider Messianic plan to create a sleeper-cell of fake religious Jews in Israel.

"There is some movement afoot… for some reason, they need there to be an Orthodox looking, observant, Christian body in Israel. I don't know exactly how this fits into their Messianic scheme, or the whys, but this seems to be what they're doing.

"It's very important that they all become rabbis, that they all have beards and payot (sidelocks) like they have to be full-on Haredi. It's very important that they all have this look, they do this dance, and yet they don't."

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A shrine near the traditional site of Jesus' baptism on the River Jordan hosted an Epiphany procession for the first time in more than 50 years on Sunday after it was declared free of landmines.

Father Francesco Patton, the custodian of the Holy Land for the Roman Catholic church, led Franciscan friars towards a shrine in what was once a war zone between Israel and Jordan.

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Although the two countries have been at peace since 1994, seven churches laid abandoned for more than 50 years in the area of de-mining operations. The area lies about a kilometer from the Qasr al-Yahud ("The Tower of the Jews") baptism site near Jericho, which is a major draw for Christian pilgrims.

"Today, we are back to pray," Father Ibrahim Faltas, one of the clergymen at the ceremony, said. Attendance at the procession, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, was capped at 50 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Israeli de-mining efforts began in 2018 and included support from the Halo Trust, a Scottish-based mine clearance group, an Israeli official said.

The Defense Ministry announced that as of the start of 2021, the "danger has been completely removed."

After visiting the shrine, the friars passed fading signs reading "DANGER - MINES!" in English, Arabic and Hebrew as they went down to the river to pray.

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A Jewish ritual bath dating back 2000 years was uncovered near the garden of Gethsemane, near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday.

The bath was found by archaeologists working with the IAA and scholars from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, a Franciscan research institute near the modern Church of Gethsemane.

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According to the IAA, this is the first archaeological evidence of its kind to exist in Gethsemane during the Second Temple period.

Remains of an unknown church, which was built at the end of the Byzantine period and continued to be used during the Umayyad period were also found in the excavation. It had been decorated in characteristic Byzantine style, which includes inscriptions in Greek on the floor, according to the IAA.

Custodian of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Patton said, "Gethsemane is one of the most important holy places in the Holy Land. In this place, tradition remembers the sincere prayer of Jesus and his betrayal. Every year, millions of pilgrims visit and pray here. Recent excavations at this site have confirmed the ancient Christian tradition linked with this place."

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He added: "This is very important for us and for the spiritual significance connected with these archaeological findings. I am very pleased to welcome this fruitful collaboration between the Custody of the Holy Land, the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum and the Israel Antiquities Authority, and I hope we can join our scientific competences for further future collaborations."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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The second season of a US-produced TV series about Jesus has begun filming in Utah.

"The Chosen," produced by LDS Motion Picture Studio, made history by becoming the largest crowd-funded media project of all time, having raised over $20 million.

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Season 2 explores the building of Jesus' group of disciples and the personal and interpersonal ups and downs of his growing notoriety as they take their ministry on the road.

"Fans will be able to walk with Jesus as he ventures into Samaria, which will be a very exciting period," says executive producer Derral Eves.

"It's going to be interesting to see how much turmoil there was between Samaritans and Jewish people during the time period. The Sermon on the Mount also takes place in Season 2. What makes this season so powerful is that it is greater than religious backgrounds and what drives people politically. This season is all about heart, compassion and love, and I think it will be very well received," Eves said.

The natural scenery, with its rolling hills, plains, cedar trees and sand dunes, make it an ideal filming location, the production says.

"Ancient Jerusalem has … been recreated in the middle of the desert in Utah," explains Eves. "It is unbelievable. This is the dream location to shoot this story. You have the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee, and this area has the Great Salt Lake and the Utah Lake and the River Jordan connects the two. You can't get much better than that!"

"The Chosen" has been seen by nearly 50 million viewers in 180 countries and has been translated into over 50 languages.

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Israeli researchers announced last week the discovery of an ancient Christian church in the Golan Heights that dates from the Byzantine Era.

An excavation team from the Israel Antiquities Authority said that the church dated back to 400 CE and had likely built upon a pagan temple dedicated to the Greek god Pan, according to The Times of Israel.

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According to Professor Adi Erlich of the University of Haifa, the 5th-century builders likely converted the ancient temple for their own purposes. Erlich also noted that the church may be the site where Jesus tasked Peter with establishing Christianity, as mentioned in Matthew 16:18.

"You are Peter and, on this rock, I will build my Church," the passage reads.

After discovering an inscription carved on an altar to Pan, the satyr god of shepherds, music, and sex, IAA archaeologists said they were confident the highly stylized open-air temple had once been dedicated to Pan.

The very word Banias, the name of the Golan Heights spring that is the source of the Jordan River, is thought to be a slight Arabic corruption and alteration of the word Panias or Paneus – a reference to the same god.

The church was discovered as part of a conservation project by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the University of Haifa to preserve monumental archaeology.

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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"The Book of Longings" is told from the point of view of a restless young woman from the Galilee region named Ana, who meets Jesus when he's 18 and eventually marries him. According to Viking, the marriage "unfolds with love and conflict, humor and pathos." Kidd draws upon historical research, but Ana is entirely invented.

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"I believe the aim of the novelist is not only to hold up a mirror to the world as it is, but to imagine what's possible," Kidd told The Associated Press in a recent mail.

"From the moment the idea of writing this novel struck me, I felt the importance of at least imagining a married Jesus. Doing so, provokes a fascinating question: How would the Western world be different if Jesus had married and his wife had been included in his story? There are only speculative answers, but I think Christianity and the Western world would have had a somewhat different religious and cultural inheritance, especially when it came to the egalitarian roles of women, to celibacy, and so forth. Why imagine a woman married to Jesus? Because stories of possibility challenge us to create new realities."

Viking announced Friday that Kidd's new book, originally titled "Ana, the Wife of Jesus," comes out April 28, 2020. Kidd has written about religion and spirituality in her nonfiction works, including "Firstlight" and "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter."

The canonical gospels make no reference to Jesus ever marrying, but scholars, conspiracists and fiction writers have long speculated whether he wed Mary Magdalene, most famously (and controversially) in Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." Kidd said that her novel is, in part, a response to the marginalized status of women in the Bible.

"The invisibility and silencing of women were real things. In the scriptures, women rarely have speaking parts and they aren't mentioned nearly as often as men," she told the AP.

"It could even be argued that in the first-century Jewish world of Galilee, marriage was so normative, it more or less went without saying. Typically undertaken at 20 (though sometimes up to age 30), marriage was a man's civic, family, and sacred duty. There are compelling reasons to support both sides of the argument. The matter is likely irresolvable."

"All I know," she added, "is that Ana wandered into my imagination and I couldn't ignore her."

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