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Religion

How a former gang member in Japan found a new path through Christianity

Japan in Focus

Tatsuya Shindo was once a member of the yakuza, a Japanese organized crime gang. His arm-length tattoos are a sure sign of his past life. Shindo also served time in prison. But now, he’s a 53-year-old Christian pastor who spends time with other former prisoners in a society where redemption and getting a second chance are not easy.

What South America’s largest Buddhist temple says about the religion’s growing influence in Brazil 

Sacred Spaces

New discoveries shed light on some of the earliest humans to settle in Taiwan

Sacred Nation

In South Korea, shamans are shunned — and revered 

Sacred Nation

Conservators scan Ukraine’s wooden churches to help preserve them

Sacred Spaces

Kolkata’s Jewish population is dwindling

Sacred Spaces

The Jewish community in Kolkata came from all over the Middle East, from places like Syria and Iraq. Once home to around 5,000 Jews, only 20 still remain there.

On this remote isle, an icon of the Virgin Mary has endured the flames of war

Sacred Spaces

After a devastating fire, people in Bougainville found hope and strength from a statue of the Virgin Mary that survived the flames. It not only represents a miracle, but serves as an icon for the island’s struggle for independence.

Holy Catholic relics from shuttered institutions are preserved on a New York campus

Sacred Spaces

As Catholic establishments shut down across North America, holy relics once housed inside them are making their way to Manhattan University, where they’re being collected and preserved for the faithful.

As Catholic faith ebbs in Spain, missionary priests come to the rescue

Sacred Nation

Spain exported Christianity across the world through missionary expeditions, but as the religion dwindles across Europe, parishes are increasingly reliant on priests from abroad — a trend some call “reverse missions.”

The iconic Al-Hadba minaret has been restored in Mosul

Religion

The Al-Hadba minaret was part of the centuries-old Great Mosque of al-Nuri when it was destroyed in 2017 by ISIS. Now, a multi-year rebuilding effort involving the United Arab Emirates, UNESCO and local Iraqi craftsmen is complete. The World’s Host Marco Werman speaks with Iraqi photojournalist Ali Al-Baroodi about the significance of the restoration and the ongoing efforts to restore Mosul’s old city.