Australian Cardinal George Pell has applied to attend the Victoria state Court of Appeal in Melbourne in person for the challenge that is set to be heard by three judges on Wednesday and Thursday.

But he is not required to come to court and could remain in the Melbourne prison where he has been held in custody since he was sentenced in March to six years in prison. He is held in special protective custody because paedophiles are regarded as being at higher risk of harm from other prisoners.

Pope Francis’s former finance minister was convicted in December of orally raping a 13-year-old choirboy and indecently dealing with the boy and the boy’s 13-year-old friend in the 1990s. Pell had become archbishop of Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, only months before.

Court orders had prevented publication for months of the details of that trial and an earlier trial on similar charges that had ended in September with a deadlocked jury.

Pell was initially spared prison when he was convicted so that he could have both knees surgically replaced at a Sydney hospital.

Professor Jeremy Gans, who heads the Melbourne Law School and is an expert on Victoria criminal law, said Pell has a strong chance of winning the appeal on the ground that the verdicts were “unreasonable”.

Pell’s lawyers will argue that the jury could not have been satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Pell…

Pastor Kumar Swamy of the All India Christian council told Premier: “One particular incident last week took place in the state of Pradesh where a church were having their prayer meeting, which was disrupted.

“Around 50 Hindu extremists were trying to stop the prayer meeting and harassed and manhandled the pastor.”

Pastor Swarmy, who is visiting the UK with religious freedom charity Release International, recalled the struggle of sharing the gospel in Indian villages and said: “I shared my testimony and a group of people started attacking me with stones, I got hurt and was bleeding. That’s the scene almost every day in the country as we share our faith.”

He continued: “But today in the same village, by God’s grace, we have around 15 churches planted.

“On one hand, there is attacks, threats and bloodshed but on the other hand, God is growing his church in the midst of this persecution and this will be the story of India.”

Christian leaders have joined together to raise their concerns for the safety of India’s Christian community following the recent election results.

Plans have been made to meet with the Prime Minister to request increased security for religious minorities.

Pastor Swarmy said: “The Christian Council is planning to lead a delegation of Christian leaders, to meet our Prime Minister, and our Home Minister, to give us protection and freedom.

“We feel it’s…

A study for The Happiness Research Institute showed nearly three quarters of those who like where they live say they’re content with their lives.

Christian charity, Livability believe that this sense of home is best displayed within church community.

Livability’s wellbeing advisor, Andy Parnham told Premier: “Belonging, security, family, community, those are the things that make a place into a home.

“One of the greatest strengths of church community life is to provide that sense of security and belonging.”

Livability have created ‘The Happiness Course’ as a resource for local churches, to help them in caring for the well-being of local communities.

Mr Parnham said people need to realise the real things that make them happy: “We live in a very materially orientated society, you have this stuff and it will make you happy and it’s true to a degree, but there’s parts of our being that don’t get satisfied.”

He added: “Relationships and having a sense of meaning and purpose – those are the things that really make the well-being.”

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It comes as a series of demonstrations were held on Tuesday in the UK against the US president’s three-day state visit.

John Pontifex from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need told Premier more attention should be given to issues concerning global persecution.

“The news media obsess over Donald Trump, and they have their reasons for doing that,” he said.

“But the fact remains that there’s a focus on him which does not apply with regard to other groups, other communities, other issues that don’t get the airtime that they deserve.”

A 20-foot orange inflatable – depicting the US President as a screaming baby was raised in Parliament Square.

The largest protest took place in London, which was supported by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

While Mr Corbyn boycotted last night’s state banquet in honour of Donald Trump, he attended the state banquet for China’s Premier Xi Jinping, who is at the centre of churches being driven underground because of a government crackdown.

Pontifex said people should pay attention to all state visits.

“Whichever particular visitor is coming to this country who has a state visit or whatever is laid on to highlight the relationship that we have with that particular country, it behoves all of us to speak with one voice for those who are denied a voice,” he explained.

“By far the largest group of…

One of which was to Esther, a Nigerian who was abducted as a teenager by Boko Haram militants.

Jeremy Hunt’s letter to her stated: “I cannot begin to imagine the horrors of what you have suffered. I stand in awe of the great faith that has given you the strength to rebuild your life and dignity.

“I want you to know that you are not alone that British diplomats continue to raise your situation that we continue to fight your corner and that we stand with those who are being denied the basic rights to practice their faiths.”

Erin James from religious freedom charity Open Doors told Premier she was shocked to discover Mr Hunt had written the letters.

“I’ve certainly not heard about it before,” she said.

“So we are at Open Doors absolutely thrilled to see him engaging with Christians like this.”

She said Esther reacted similarly to the letter when the charity delivered it.

“Esther was completely shocked when this letter came through,” she explained.

“She couldn’t believe that he even knew who she was. So it’s so wonderful – at Open Doors we’re about family and we’re about supporting our persecuted family.

“So it’s so wonderful to see that girl realise how supported she is, how loved she is by Christians in the UK and around the world.”

The charity’s founder Brother Andrew also received a letter from Mr Hunt praising Open…