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(Vatican Radio) The NATO military alliance has finalized plans to deploy thousands of troops and military equipment to the Baltics and Poland in response to what it views as an increasingly aggressive and unpredictable Russia.

After two days of talks, NATO defense ministers agreed to send as many as 4,000 troops and equipment into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland near Russia's borders, despite warnings by experts that it could add to international tensions. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

The announcement came shortly after Russia moved battleships toward the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas, shifted nuclear-capable missile-launchers into its Kaliningrad enclave neighboring Poland and continued flying bombers down the western European coast. 

It underscored the worst East-West tensions since the Cold War over Russia's role in the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denied that the alliance is seeking a new Cold War with Russia, but said it had no other choice than to react to Russia's military actions. "It is important and necessary that NATO responds and that we are delivering a response when we see the substantial and significant military buildup of Russia over a long period of time,” he said. 

US INVOLVED

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter also said that the United States will boost its presence in Europe with a brigade - usually some 1,500-3,000 troops - being deployed to Poland in February, among other contributions. 

And NATO wants to boost its presence in the south-east, especially in Bulgaria and Romania, but officials warn it could be delayed by Turkey, following the coup attempt, as Ankara is reportedly reluctant to cooperate with these countries. 

Yet, Carter made clear that the brigade will take part in military exercises in not only the Baltics but also end units from the force to Bulgaria and Romania. 

Experts are concerned. Brooks Tigner of Jane’s Defence Weekly says NATO's deployment, especially near Russia's borders, could lead to new friction. "If there was a conflict and Russian forces kill British or American or German or Canadian or Dutch or whatever troops. That would off course set off immediate diplomatic crisis,” he said. 

Under Article 5 of the NATO treaty an attack on one member state is viewed on an attack on all, which could prompt a wider conflict between the West and Russia.      

Little dialogue has taken place between Moscow and the world's biggest military alliance. Their main forum for airing disagreements - the NATO-Russia Council - has only met twice this year as allies do not seem to share a common vision of what Russia is trying to tell them or how to respond.

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said the cornerstone of life for Christians is Jesus who is praying for us, pointing out that Jesus always turned to prayer at all the key moments in his life. His remarks came during his Mass celebrated on Friday morning in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence.

Taking his cue from the Gospel reading recounting how Jesus spent the night in prayer before choosing his disciples, the Pope’s homily reflected on the fundamental importance of prayer for Christians. He said whilst Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church and there is no Church without Him, the key to this cornerstone is Jesus who is praying for us.

The cornerstone of the Church is Jesus in front of the Father who is praying for us

“‘Jesus went up to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to God.’ And then the rest followed, the crowds, the choosing of his disciples, the healings, the casting out of demons… Yes, the cornerstone is Jesus but Jesus who prays. Jesus is praying. He prayed and he continues to pray for the Church. The cornerstone of the Church is our Lord in front of the Father who intercedes on our behalf, who is praying for us. We pray to Him but the key thing is that He is praying for us.”

Our security is Jesus praying for each one of us

Pope Francis went on to describe how Jesus always prayed for his followers, be it at the Last Supper or before performing a miracle such as when he prayed to the Father before raising Lazarus from the dead.

“Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olives, on the Cross, he ended praying: his life ended in prayer. And this is our security, this is our foundation, this is our cornerstone: Jesus who is praying for us! Jesus who is praying for me!  And each of us can say this: I am certain that Jesus is praying for me; that he is in front of the Father and naming me. This is the cornerstone of the Church: Jesus in prayer.”

Another example of Jesus praying for his followers, said the Pope, came before his Passion when Jesus told Peter he had been praying for him to withstand Satan’s temptation and for his faith to hold firm.

“And what Jesus tells Peter, he tells you and you and me, everybody: ‘I have prayed for you, I am praying for you, I am now praying for you’ and when He comes onto the altar, He comes to intercede, to pray for us. As he did on the Cross.  And this gives us a great sense of security. I belong to this community that’s solid because Jesus is its cornerstone, Jesus who is praying for me, who is praying for us. Today we’d do well to reflect on the Church, reflect on this mystery of the Church. We are all like a building but its foundation is Jesus, Jesus who is praying for us, Jesus who is praying for me.”

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Washington D.C., Oct 28, 2016 / 03:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- When Kentucky t-shirt designer Blaine Adamson declined to print promotional shirts for a gay pride festival, he found himself facing a discrimination ruling from the county’s human rights commission.

But he also found an abundance of support, including some from an unlikely source – the lesbian owners of a screen print shop heard about his story and came to his defense.

“Because if you lose,” Adamson explained the owners’ reasoning to CNA, “then they also lose the right to reject messages from churches or other groups that they may not want to print for.”

“So it’s not just a Christian issue when it comes to freedom of speech. It’s everyone’s issue.”

Adamson was part of a panel of Christian business owners who are facing or may face legal consequences for operating their businesses according to their religious beliefs.

The panel spoke Tuesday in Washington D.C., at an Alliance Defending Freedom event, “Conscience and Creative Professionals,” exploring religious freedom cases that are expected to make their way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Panel members included Adamson, Washington state florist Barronelle Stutzman, and Breanna Koski and Joanna Duka, owners of a Phoenix-based custom art studio who are challenging a city ordinance they say would force them to cater to same-sex weddings against their consciences. Kelvin Cochran, the former fire chief of Atlanta who was fired over a book he personally wrote defending Christian views on sex, also spoke.

The panelists are among an increasing number of small business owners who found themselves facing legal threats and discrimination complaints when they decided they could not cater to same-sex weddings. However, they have argued that they are happy to serve gay and lesbian clients – and many have strong relationships with LGBT clients – but it is specifically same-sex wedding ceremonies or related events that they morally object to participating in.

Barronelle Stutzman was sued by Washington state and the American Civil Liberties Union for declining to make flower arrangements for the same-sex wedding of a long-time customer. After losing at the trial court level, she has appealed her case to the Washington Supreme Court.

At the panel event, Stutzman said she has received “overwhelming” support in the form of letters, cards, and phone calls – even from unexpected sources.

She said one man called her saying he was gay, but offering her $5,000 he had in savings, because he objected to the state’s complaint against her. “‘I know I’ll be ostracized by the gay community,’ he said, ‘but I don’t care,’” Stutzman recalled.

In another instance, she said two lesbian customers of hers pledged to continue shopping with her.

“They said ‘you’ve never, ever treated us poorly. You’ve always respected us and waited on us, and we really appreciate it. We will continue to shop here,’” Stutzman related. “So there is encouragement in that.”

Adamson says he has received local and national support for his stand for religious freedom. The supporters include former employees of his who have come out as gay but praise his business, including one lady who told him that “I would disrespect you more if you would have printed those shirts.”

“Because she had seen over the years that I had rejected messages from all walks of life that I felt like went against my conscience,” Adamson explained.

Eugene Volokh, who teaches religious freedom and free speech law at UCLA School of Law, even wrote in the Washington Post that he agreed with the Kentucky trial court judge, who had ruled that Adamson was protected under both the First Amendment and the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Adamson says he has rejected many shirt designs that he found he could not in good conscience print – like offers from strip clubs and a porn rally, designs with violent content, and a fraternity that wanted shirts with Jesus riding a motorcycle.

“It just looked disrespectful,” he said of the last example. “I mean, [Jesus] is the King of Kings. And is my Savior. And it was just something that convicted me that I couldn’t print.”

The panel members also shared their personal stories, including how their faith has been tested as they face litigation and the possible loss of their livelihood.

Cochran said his faith is a “living faith” and he has no choice but to live it in public.

“It is a faith that, when you live it out through faith and obedience, there should be evidence that it is real,” he said.  

“My faith does not teach me to discriminate against anyone,” he added. Rather, he said it teaches him to “love everyone without condition” and “recognize the inherent worth and dignity of all peoples.”

Stutzman says she had a good relationship with Rob, her gay customer on behalf of whom the ACLU and the state of Washington filed their complaint.

“Rob has been a favorite customer of mine for over 10 years,” she said. “I love working with Rob.”

After she heard Rob would have a wedding soon with his partner and would want her to serve it, she discussed the matter with her husband. “The thing that our faith teaches us is that marriage is between a man and a woman and it symbolizes Christ and His relationship with the Church,” Stutzman explained.

“So when Rob came in to talk to me about his wedding, I just gently put my hands on Rob’s, and I said ‘I’m sorry Rob. I can’t do your wedding because of my relationship with Jesus Christ.’ And he said he understood.”

They talked for a little while and Stutzman said she recommended three other florists to Rob “who I knew would do him a good job.” Then they hugged and Rob departed.

Shortly after, Rob’s partner posted about the matter on Facebook, saying Stutzman had the right to believe as she did but had hurt their feelings. The post went viral.

For two weeks, the business received death threats, bombing threats, and picketing threats. Stutzman said she reached out to the police and had a security system installed. After that, the state and the ACLU “filed a lawsuit against us personally and corporately,” she noted.

Because of the nature of the suit, “we stand to lose everything we worked for and own,” Stutzman said, as ACLU attorney fees are “over a million dollars now and will probably be over two by the time this is finished.”

Stutzman says she has seen Rob twice since she declined to serve his wedding, but the last time was in court.

When asked what she would say to Rob in person, she responded, “I’d be so excited to see Rob. I would hug him. I would catch up on his life. And I would serve him another 10 years. I miss him.”

 

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Jerusalem, Israel, Oct 28, 2016 / 06:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Have you ever wondered what the tomb of Jesus Christ looks like? National Geographic recently detailed the “moment of revelation” at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which exposed the rock slab on which Christ's body is held to have been placed after his death.

The slab had been covered for centuries by a marble structure to protect it.

"The marble covering of the tomb has been pulled back,” said Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, according to an Oct. 26 exclusive from National Geographic.

“It will be a long scientific analysis, but we will finally be able to see the original rock surface on which, according to tradition, the body of Christ was laid," Hiebert continued.

The opening of the burial place of Christ marks a historic exposure for the first time in centuries, which drew an excited frenzy among archeologists, pilgrims, and various religious groups.

"Here we have Franciscans, Armenians, Greeks, Muslim guards, and Jewish police officers. We hope and we pray that this will be a real message that the impossible can become the possible. We all need peace and mutual respect,” Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, told National Geographic.

According to the Gospels, the body of Christ was laid in a new tomb hewn out of rock, in which no one had ever been buried. The Gospel of Mark details that the women who went to the tomb to anoint Christ's body instead found that he had risen.

Veneration of Christ's burial place dates back to St. Helena in the fourth century, who discovered and identified the tomb. St. Helena’s son, Emperor Constantine, built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 326 and enshrined the tomb.

The shelf on which Christ's body was laid is the central point of veneration, which has been encapsulated by a 3-by-5 foot marble structure, known as the Edicule, since at least 1555. Over the years, the Edicule has been reconstructed and is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar preservation process by the National Technical University of Athens.

"We are at the critical moment for rehabilitating the Edicule," Professor Antonia Moropoulou, Chief Scientific Supervisor from the National Technical University of Athens, told National Geographic.

"The techniques we're using to document this unique monument will enable the world to study our findings as if they themselves were in the tomb of Christ."

Although the burial site is not controlled by one particular group, it does share ownership between the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Armenian Orthodox Church, with a smaller influence from the Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Churches. Any major decisions regarding the church are made in an agreement among the Churches.

National Geographic will detail the restoration process of Christ’s tomb in the Explorer series, airing in November on the National Geographic Channel.

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