Why were these nuns on the run? BBC News weekly quiz surveys a globe of headlines
From an Alpine convent dispute to a milestone for a female bishop, the quiz spotlights recent world religious and legal stories
The week’s BBC News world-news quiz centers on a photo of three nuns who appeared to be on the run. The image prompts readers to recall why Sisters Bernadette, Regina and Rita fled a care home tied to their abandoned Alpine convent, and later needed a locksmith to re-enter the building as they defied church leaders.
The item sits among a global roll call of headlines in the quiz. One entry notes that India's top court suspended parts of a contentious Muslim property law, saying the grant of stay is only in the rarest of rare category. [Context: the decision signals a cautious approach by the judiciary rather than a blanket ruling on the law's merits.]
The nun feature identifies the sisters by name and recounts their flight from the Alpine setting, followed by the need for a locksmith to regain access to their convent, a moment described as defying church leaders. The quiz uses the vignette to illustrate ongoing tensions within religious communities and the challenges of property and governance that can accompany convent life.
Another item in the quiz marks a milestone in church leadership: the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Dr Joanne Grenfell, was formally confirmed during a special service and is set to be the first woman to lead the diocese. The ceremony underscores ongoing momentum toward greater gender parity in some church hierarchies.
Also included is news that Charterhouse residents will not be required to attend religious services to stay at the almshouse, a reflection of ongoing debates about the role of faith in public life and the rights of residents in faith-based communities. These items sit alongside broader world events to provide a snapshot of religious, political and cultural developments.
Taken together, the quiz offers a concise cross-section of world headlines touching on religion, governance and human-interest stories, illustrating how local religious drama can intersect with regional and global legal and social trends across continents.
