Religion is no more immune to the passage of time than any other aspect of society. However, in some cases, the diminished and forgotten does not remain so. This week for Faithful Friday we take a look at some of the ways past modes of spirituality have come back in the present, from the revival of Zoroastrianism in Kurdistan to the renewal of Catholicism in Cuba. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

The persecution of Jews following the expulsion of the Moors from Spain is one of the most sordid parts of the country's history. It should be taken as good news then that Spanish legislature has recently approved a long overdue act to repatriate the descendants of Spain's persecuted Jews. You can read more about the story at The Guardian.

Is your partner Pagan? Or do they belong to another religious affiliation (including "none?") If it's the latter then you're part of a growing minority of people according to Pew Research, which has published a study showing that interfaith marriages are on the rise. Check out the study here.

As Cuba reopens to the rest of the world, its people have begun to rediscover some of things which during the country's isolation had fallen by the wayside. One of these, according to a new article by The Washington Post, is the Catholic faith. Apparently even Raul Castro is feeling the spirit.

The past and the future are often intimately connected. What then does the future of religion hold? What religious are growing and which are shrinking? Read about some of the possibilities here.

When we think of Middle Eastern monotheistic religions the obvious faiths to spring to mind are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (aka, the Abrahamic religions). But they're not the only examples. Apparently, Zoroastrianism, the ancient Iranian religion devoted to the worship of Ahura Mazda, is experiencing an unexpected rival in Kurdistan.


Top image by Kurosh Niknam