Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

October 2020 – In early June, a marble cross believed to be 1,200 to 1,500 years old was unearthed in the Kavardo mountain range of northern Pakistan. Weighing more than 3 tons and measuring 7 feet long, the white cross was discovered by a team from University of Baltistan, Skardu. Thomanian in design, the relic has been dubbed the Kavardo Cross. Its existence substantiates the early presence of Christianity in a country that now claims to be 96% Muslim.

“This is really big news for us all,” said Mansha Noor, general manager of Caritas Pakistan, a Catholic humanitarian organization. Though no Christian families currently live in that region, Noor believes the cross suggests a church and Christians existed there at one time. Other national Christian leaders have voiced hope that believers will soon be allowed to visit the site.

ucanews.com, 6/18/20; christianitytoday.com, 6/24/20;
christianheadlines.com, 7/14/20