Religion
Meet African Cardinals who could be the next Pope
As the world grieves the passing of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church finds itself at a defining crossroads with the selection of its next spiritual leader.
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta, marking the beginning of the process to elect his successor.
While preparations for his funeral are underway, attention has swiftly shifted to the list of possible successors, with two African Cardinals—Peter Turkson of Ghana and Robert Sarah of Guinea—emerging as prominent contenders.
Cardinal Peter Turkson
Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential Catholic figures. Born in Ghana, Turkson became the Archbishop of Cape Coast in 1992 under Pope John Paul II and was elevated to cardinal in 2003, becoming the first Ghanaian to hold the title.
Over the years, Turkson has been at the forefront of Vatican conversations on social justice, climate change, and human rights. He has served as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and later became the first Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, a role created by Pope Francis.
Turkson is known for championing a more inclusive and compassionate Church, addressing global issues like poverty and environmental degradation while holding moderately progressive views on matters such as homosexuality. His election would mark a historic moment, as he would become the first Black African pope.
Cardinal Robert Sarah
At 79, Cardinal Robert Sarah stands as a strong voice for Catholic orthodoxy. Born in Guinea, Sarah has had a distinguished career within the Vatican, serving as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2014 until his retirement in 2021.
Throughout his tenure, Sarah became known for his unwavering defence of traditional Catholic liturgy and doctrine, including his opposition to same-sex marriage, abortion, and modern gender ideologies. He has also publicly criticised Islamic extremism, positioning himself as a defender of both Catholic identity and global stability.
In 2016, he sparked debate by advocating for priests to celebrate Mass facing the altar, a practice largely abandoned after the Second Vatican Council. His conservative theology and commitment to preserving the Church’s ancient traditions have earned him both respect and criticism within the Catholic world.
Religion
Pastor Chris Reportedly Fills Up Fifteen Stadiums in One Night at the Night of Bliss
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Night of Bliss on November 21, 2025 has quickly become one of the most talked-about Christian events in Nigeria. The programme was held simultaneously across the country, originally promoted as a ten-stadium event, but several reports and social media posts now claim the gatherings took place in fifteen stadiums nationwide.
Videos, photos and livestreams show massive turnouts across multiple cities, including Benin City, Port Harcourt, Lokoja, Asaba, Jalingo, Eket and others. Reports say all the stadiums involved were filled, though independent verification of exact attendance figures remains limited. What is clear from public footage is that each location recorded huge numbers of worshippers who gathered through the night for prayer, teaching and praise.
Even without confirmed capacity counts, coordinating ten to fifteen major gatherings across different states at the same time is a remarkable accomplishment. The atmosphere in each venue appeared vibrant and unified, with many participants describing the night as spiritually impactful.
For many believers, the Night of Bliss stands out as a moment of nationwide connection, sweeping attendance and extraordinary scale.
Have you ever witnessed anything like this?
Religion
Every member of this church should be awake one hour every night — Bishop Oyedepo reveals how to battle alleged gen0cide of Christians in Nigerians
Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has warned Christians over the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, following a spate of recent @ttacks on churches that resulted in multiple d3aths and abductions, saying Christians must take decisive action.
The bishop’s warning comes as international concern mounts, with Italy becoming the second G7 nation, after the United States, to openly demand an immediate end to the targeted k!llings of Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking at a Pre-Shiloh Encounter Church Service, Bishop Oyedepo expressed deep concern over the nation’s current situation.
“Developments in the past two weeks, particularly in Nigeria, are worrisome to say the least. There is need for a prompt response in prayers to stop the k!llings once and for all. You can’t trade people’s lives for your comfort.”
“All the innocent bloo.d shared is speaking vengeance… all the perpetrators will pay with their lives.”
The cleric urged church members to launch into “midnight raid (prayers)”.
“Every member of this church should be awake one hour every day for one week before v!olence descends to an@rchy in Nigeria…”
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Religion
‘Children Were Crying’ – St Mary’s Principal Recounts Midnight Raid As More Details Emerge
More details have surfaced regarding the abduction of students and staff of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, with the school principal, Rev. Sr. Felicia Gyang, giving a chilling account of how the attackers stormed the premises.
In a video clip dated November 21 and obtained by Sunday Punch, Gyang narrated how the terrorists forced their way into the school in the early hours of the morning while terrified children screamed for help.
According to her, the armed men arrived shortly after midnight, using motorcycles and vehicles to break through successive gates.
“The unfortunate incident happened past 12 when we heard noise, motorbikes, and the sound of cars. Before we knew it, there were serious bangs on different gates in the compound,” she recounted.
She said the sisters quickly gathered to observe the commotion.
She stated, “We got up, and I called my other sisters for us to peep out. When we peeped, we heard noise and children were crying.”
Gyang explained that in the confusion, locating keys to some gates became difficult, leaving her no choice but to exit through an alternative route to assess the situation.
“Apparently, when we were there trying to see what would happen with those that were out of danger at that moment, we could hear the sound of the other bus,” she said, referring to the vehicle used by the attackers.
She added that distress calls echoed from various parts of the compound as the bandits advanced.
The principal revealed that multiple attempts to reach security personnel during the attack were unsuccessful.
She added, “At the end, we heard the security man at the main gate rowing. We couldn’t hear what he was saying, but after some time, we heard them driving off on bikes.
“One of us was making calls to see who we could call for help. We tried to call places around where we could get help. We tried the Divisional Police Officer, too, but we couldn’t get through.”
Asked whether the school had received any prior alerts from security agencies, Gyang dismissed the claims.
“No, we didn’t receive,” she said.
She also denied suggestions that the school had earlier been advised to shut down over security concerns.
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