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10 Most Religious Cities In The World

Published

1 year ago

September 8, 2024

Religion has long played a crucial role in shaping human societies, providing both unity and division throughout history.

The following ten cities have witnessed epic religious events and continue to serve as pilgrimage sites for millions.

1. Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, attracts millions of Muslims each year for the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam. This journey is obligatory for every capable Muslim at least once in their lifetime. Non-Muslims, however, are not permitted to enter Mecca. The city’s history dates back to a pre-Islamic legend involving Adam and Eve. More accurately, around 2000 BC, Abraham and his son Ishmael built the Kaaba, Islam’s most sacred site. In 570 AD, the Prophet Muhammad was born here, and later in 630 AD, he declared the city a center for Muslim pilgrimage.

2. Lhasa, Tibet

Lhasa, meaning “place of the gods,” was the home of the Dalai Lamas from the 1600s until 1959. Although Tibetans are now a minority, the city remains a hub for Tibetan Buddhism. Notable sites include Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Many pilgrims come to Lhasa to follow one of the three pathways that lead around Jokhang Temple, seeking spiritual merit.

3. Bethlehem, West Bank

Bethlehem is revered as the birthplace of Jesus, making it a major pilgrimage destination for Christians, especially during Christmas and Easter. It is also historically significant as the birthplace of David, the King of Israel. Despite the city’s tumultuous past, including numerous invasions and occupations, it remains a focal point of Christian pilgrimage. The Church of the Nativity, one of the world’s oldest churches, is believed to mark the location of Christ’s birth.

4. Varanasi, India

One of India’s most sacred cities, Varanasi holds religious importance for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. Legend states that the city was founded by Lord Shiva, while historical records suggest it emerged 3,000 years ago as a center for textiles. Many Hindus come to Varanasi to bathe in the Ganges River, which is believed to cleanse sins. The city is also notable as the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon.

5. Vatican City

Situated in Rome, Vatican City is the epicenter of the Roman Catholic Church. The world’s smallest independent state, it holds some of the most significant religious and cultural sites, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums. Once part of the Papal States, it became independent in the 20th century after a treaty signed by Mussolini.

6. Haifa, Israel

Haifa, a city on Mount Carmel overlooking the Mediterranean, is a center for the Bahá’í faith. The Bahá’í World Center, with its golden-domed shrine, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bahá’í, a religion founded in 19th-century Iran, emphasizes unity among all religions and the oneness of humanity.

7. Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by Mormon pioneers escaping persecution. Today, it serves as the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The city’s religious landmarks include the iconic Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to complete, and the Family History Library, the largest genealogical library in the world.

8. Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is a spiritual hub for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has been a focal point of religious significance for millennia and has faced destruction and invasion multiple times. Sites like the Temple Mount, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Western Wall draw millions of pilgrims annually. The Old City of Jerusalem, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remains a testament to the city’s profound historical and religious legacy.

9. Pushkar, India

One of India’s oldest cities, Pushkar is a sacred site for Hindus. The city is associated with Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Pilgrims visit Pushkar Lake and the Brahma Temple, one of the few temples dedicated to Brahma. The city is also home to the Pushkar Fair, one of the world’s largest camel fairs.

10. Medina, Saudi Arabia

Medina is the second holiest city in Islam after Mecca. It is where the Prophet Muhammad sought refuge after being driven from Mecca. The Prophet’s Mosque, Al Masjid al-Nabawi, stands on the site of Muhammad’s home and is where he is buried. Only Muslims are permitted to enter the city, which serves as a key stop during the Hajj pilgrimage.

These cities offer a deep spiritual experience for visitors, filled with history and religious significance.

VANGUARD

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UK Police Arrest Asylum Seeker Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed

Published

6 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

The UK police on Sunday arrested an Ethiopian asylum seeker and convicted sex offender, whose crimes had sparked anti-immigration protests, after he was accidentally released from prison in an embarrassing blunder by British authorities.

London’s Metropolitan Police said officers arrested Hadush Kebatu in the north of the capital on Sunday morning, nearly 48 hours after he was mistakenly freed around 30 miles (48 kilometres) away.

Kebatu, 38, had served the first month of a one-year sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman, but was reportedly due to be deported when the Prison Service error occurred on Friday.

His high-profile case earlier this year in Epping, northeast of London, sparked demonstrations in various English towns and cities where asylum seekers were believed to be housed, as well as counter-protests.

Commander James Conway, who oversaw the manhunt for him, said “information from the public” led officers to the Finsbury Park neighbourhood of London, where he was found.

“He was detained by police but will be returned to the custody of the Prison Service,” he added.

Kebatu is now expected to be deported.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday he was “appalled” by the “totally unacceptable” mistake that saw him freed rather than sent to an immigration detention centre.

The Telegraph newspaper said he was wrongly categorised for release on licence and handed a £76 ($101) discharge grant.

Police had appealed Saturday for Kebatu to turn himself in, after reports emerged that he had appeared confused and reluctant to leave the prison in Chelmsford, eastern England.

A delivery driver described seeing Kebatu return several times in a “very confused” state, only to be turned away by staff and directed to the railway station.

The driver told Sky News he saw Kebatu outside the jail, asking, “Where am I going? What am I doing?”

“He was starting to get upset, he was getting stressed,” the driver said.

The father of Kebatu’s anonymous teenage victim told the broadcaster that “the justice system has let us down.”

Police arrested the asylum seeker in July after he repeatedly tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl and touch her legs, and made sexually explicit comments to her.

He also sexually assaulted an adult woman, placing a hand on her thigh, when she intervened to stop his interactions with the girl.

He was staying at the time at Epping’s Bell Hotel, where scores of other asylum seekers have been accommodated, and which became the target of repeated protests.

AFP

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Madagascar Revokes Ousted President’s Nationality

Published

7 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

Madagascar’s new government has stripped ousted president Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality in a decree published Friday, 10 days after he was removed in a military takeover.

According to AFP, the decree means that Rajoelina, who was impeached on October 14 after fleeing the island nation in the wake of weeks of protests, would not be able to contest future election.

The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina’s Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online.

French broadcaster RFI said it had confirmed the decree with the entourage of the new prime minister, Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, who signed the order.

The decree cited laws stipulating that a Malagasy who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality loses their Malagasy nationality.

Rajoelina’s French nationality caused a scandal when it was revealed ahead of the November 2023 elections, nearly 10 years after it was granted.

It triggered calls for him to be disqualified but he went on to win the contested polls, which were boycotted by opposition parties.

The 51-year-old politician fled Madagascar after army Colonel Michael Randrianirina said on October 11 his CAPSAT unit would refuse orders to put down the youth-led protest movement, which security forces had attempted to suppress with violence.

Rajoelina said later he was in hiding for his safety, but did not say where.

Randrianirina was sworn in as president on October 14, pledging elections within two years.

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Kamala Harris Hints At Running For President Again

Published

7 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

Former US vice president Kamala Harris said in a British television interview previewed in Saturday that she may “possibly” run again to be president.

Harris, who replaced Joe Biden as the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate but lost to Donald Trump, told the BBC that she had not yet decided whether to make another White House bid.

But the 61-year-old insisted she was “not done” in American politics and that her young grandnieces would see a female president in the Oval Office “in their lifetime, for sure”.

“I have lived my entire career a life of service, and it’s in my bones, and there are many ways to serve.

“I’ve not decided yet what I will do in the future, beyond what I am doing right now,” Harris told the British broadcaster in an interview set to air in full on Sunday.

The comments are the strongest hint yet that Harris could attempt to be the Democratic Party nominee for the 2028 election.

The interview follows the release of her memoir last month, in which she argued it had been “recklessness” to let Biden run for a second term as president.

She also accused his White House team of failing to support her while she was his deputy, and at times of actively hindering her.

AFP