Pope Francis urged Chinese Catholics on Wednesday to show they are in full communion with the Holy See.

The appeal is coming amid what appears to be another stall in the Vatican’s longstanding attempts to reach a deal with Beijing over bishop nominations.

Francis made the comments during his general audience, noting that many Chinese Catholics will be marking a feast day dedicated to the Virgin Mary this week in Sheshan, near Shanghai.

John Cardinal Onayikan, the Cardinal of the Abuja Catholic Diocese has called on Nigerians to rise above religious, political and ethnic divides to save the country from drifting into anarchy.

Onaiyekan handed down the advice on Tuesday during a sermon for the burial of two catholic priests; Rev Frs. Felix Tyolaha and Joseph Gor, at Ayati, a small agrarian hilly village in the outskirts of Ikpayongo in Gwer East local Government Council of the state.

He said the killings across the country must stop and called on well meaning Nigerians to unite in fighting the great evil that had befallen the country.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has asked its members intending to get married to carry out what it refers to as a “genital test.”

In a memo dated May 10, the church said it gave the directive after it noticed recurring cases of marital crisis resulting from “falsehood, especially in the case of undeclared or unconfessed reproductive/genital status”.

The Lagos high court has ruled that marriages conducted by Federal Registry, Ikoyi are not legally binding.

Chuka Austine Obiozor, a justice, issued a restraining order to the Ikoyi registry from conducting marriages, saying it is unconstitutional for the federal government to perform the duties of the state and local governments.

The judgement delivered on Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1760/16 said marriage registries in the local government and local council development areas of Lagos state are the authentic and legally-binding government divisions established to carry out such functions.