According to religious freedom charity Middle East Concern, Amir Taleipour and wife Mahnaz Harati had their home raided earlier this month and were then arrested in front of their 7 year old daughter.

It’s reported they remain in detention and haven’t been allowed to communicate with family members or legal professionals.

The charges they’re facing have not been revealed.

Church leaders in the area say local Christians are increasingly targeted around Christmas but this year is more severe than previous years.

They claim different branches of security forces are competing for approval and funding so want to show their effectiveness in arresting Christians.

In a statement, Middle East Concern ask for prayer that: “The Lord will comfort and strengthen Amir and Mahnaz to persevere and be faithful witnesses of Christ, that they will be allowed to communicate with their family and engage a lawyer, and that they will be released soon.

“Pray that Christians in Iran will be protected and alert and not intimidated and that state security will cease targeting citizens on account of their religious belief.”

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Pastor Wang Yi and his wife Jiang Rong from Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan province are among those who remain in detention. 

While some have been released and sent back to their home towns, many are not allowed back to the location of the church and more people have been detained since 9th December. 

The church service on Sunday was also interrupted when and more were arrested then. 

Jane from the religious freedom charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide told Premier’s News Hour that their charge is “inciting subversion”, which she said: “isn’t a religious charge, it doesn’t refer to religious activities specifically, it’s more of a national security related charge but we see it frequently used against religious leaders, also human rights lawyers who defend religious leaders and other victims of human rights abuses.

“It can really be used in a very wide range of ways. It could carry up to a 15 year prison sentence so, as I say, very serious. 

“We’re also very concerned that, as far as we know, neither of them have been able to meet with a lawyer yet, which is obviously art of the right and shows that things are not following due process.”

Pastor Wang Yi wrote a letter a few weeks ago, predicting his arrest. The note was handed to colleagues on the basis it should be shared publicly if he ever became detained for more than 48 hours.

It read: “Those who lock me up will one day be locked up by angels. Those who interrogate me will finally be…

These are just some of the most searched for questions on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s online ministry at this time of year.

It’s revealed it’s attracting over a thousand people a day in the UK alone.

The PeaceWithGod.co.uk website has 4,000 questions and answers to help those seeking out more about the Christian faith.

BGEA UK Director Lee Searle told Premier’s News Hour he was encouraged by the amount of people searching for answers.

He said: “It’s great to see such a varied response.

“When you see that number one question about Herod – it’s a question about scripture. Isn’t it wonderful that people are asking about something which is Biblical?”

Other popular questions included ‘Why was Jesus born in a stable?’ and ‘Why is Christmas still important?’

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In a letter sent to the presidents of bishops’ conferences worldwide, organisers said the church must develop a “comprehensive and communal response” to the crisis, and that the first step is “acknowledging the truth of what has happened”.

Pope Francis invited church leaders to the February 21-24 summit to respond to what has become the gravest threat to his papacy, as the sex abuse and cover-up scandal erupted in the US, Chile and elsewhere this year.

In revealing the first details of preparations for the meeting, the Vatican said the summit would focus on three main areas: responsibility, accountability and transparency.

“Absent a comprehensive and communal response, not only will we fail to bring healing to victim survivors, but the very credibility of the church to carry on the mission of Christ will be in jeopardy throughout the world,” the organisers wrote.

“Each of us needs to own this challenge, coming together in solidarity, humility and penitence to repair the damage done, sharing a common commitment to transparency and holding everyone in the church accountable,” they said.

It was signed by the four members of the preparatory committee for the meeting: Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, Mumbai Cardinal Oswald Gracias and the Vatican’s leading abuse experts, Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna and the Rev Hans Zollner.

They urged conference presidents to meet…

Two thousand Brits aged between 21and 38 were polled for the study by the booking website hotels.com.

Thirty-nine per cent of those questioned could not identify the infant born in the manger and slightly fewer, thirty-seven per cent, looked blank at the names Mary and Joseph.

Half did not know that the Angel Gabriel told Mary she was going to be a mother.

Fewer than 10 per cent of those questioned could name the three gifts brought by the wise men of frankincense, gold and myrrh.

Asked how the nativity story would be brought up to date, 15 per cent would replace the Three Wise Men with Three Wise Women, 10 per cent would would have a unicorn instead of a donkey and 10 per cent said Gabriel would appear to Mary via Instagram.

As for other Christmas traditions, 46 per cent said their Christmas dinner would consist of pizza or vegan food instead of turkey.

The study follows news that a nativity scene was initially banned in a Scottish shopping centre, with bosses saying they wanted to be “religiously neutral”.

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