ISTANBUL, Turkey — Members of a Catholic church in Istanbul fear an attack after Muslims verbally assaulted and threatened them during a baptismal service and destroyed church property.
After two incidents at St. Stephanos Church parishioners said they are waiting to see if hostilities will escalate into violence during what remains of Ramadan, when religious persecution has been known to increase in Muslim-majority areas. Ramadan, an Islamic month of daytime fasting, ends in Turkey on July 28.
The two previous attacks have caused some members of an already small congregation to stop participating in services, at least temporarily.
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