  Hundreds of Muslims converted to Christianity in Austria in 2017 January 13, 2018 - 10:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The refugee crisis has played into the hands of the Catholic Church in Austria, with a significant number of Muslims converting to Christianity in the country, Deutsche Welle reports citing dpa data. Three quarters of 750 adults baptized in 2017 come from Muslim countries, a spokesperson for the Archbishopric of Vienna said on Friday, January 13. 260 people representing 15 different nations were baptized in the Austrian capital alone. According to Friederike Dostal, the assertion that migrants are changing their faith in order to increase the chances of getting asylum is untenable. “Since the Catholic Church in Austria has no need for pseudo-Christians, we are very strict in the process of selecting candidates and authorizing the rite of baptism,” Dostal said. Preparation for baptism takes at least one year, which includes regular visits to religious courses and church services, following the Christian norms of life and involvement in charitable events. More and more refugees are converting from Islam to Christianity as they settle in Germany too.  Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border  The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel.Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan.Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |
