In Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Catholic Church recently announced that the Vatican has recognized 167 individuals who lost their lives during the tragic Islamic State-inspired suicide bombings that took place six years ago. This recognition honors these victims as “witnesses of faith.”
A memorial vigil took place at St. Anthony’s Church, which was one of the sites targeted during the attacks, gathering hundreds of attendees from various religious backgrounds, including Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, shared with the crowd that Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, the Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has officially included the names of these 167 Catholics in the church’s catalogue, highlighting their bravery in the face of persecution and faith-driven hatred.
In his address, Cardinal Ranjith also made sure to respectfully acknowledge seven other victims from different religions. These individuals are recognized as “witnesses of faith” for standing firm in their beliefs despite facing violence.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis established a new category within the Catholic Church to formally acknowledge those who died for their faith. A dedicated Vatican commission has been set up to document these cases, bringing attention to them alongside recognized martyrs who may be considered for sainthood in the future.
The 2019 bombings led to the death of more than 260 individuals, including 42 foreigners, during an Easter Sunday attack that targeted three churches and three hotels.
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka continues to seek further investigations into the bombings. This renewed push for clarity comes after a recent interview aired by a British television channel, which featured a man who claims to have facilitated a meeting between a local extremist group and a high-ranking state intelligence official to plot a strategy that would create instability in the country. This chaos was allegedly intended to help former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa secure victory in the presidential election later that year.
