A soldier keeps guard as nuns walk out of St. Sebastian Church in Negombo, Sri Lanka.
Bruised by a series of terrorist attacks at Easter, the Sri Lankan Catholic Church has given up its plan to allow the resumption of masses, this Sunday, May 5.
The faithful will have to be patient. Churches remain closed and masses will not be able to resume, as planned, this Sunday, May 5, in Sri Lanka .
A spokesman for Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said on Thursday that the Sri Lankan Catholic Church had received “specific information about two possible attacks on churches” and therefore decided not to allow the celebration of masses scheduled for Sunday. .
257 dead and nearly 500 injured
The attacks committed on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka left 257 dead, according to a new assessment announced Thursday by the authorities, who warned that it was still likely to evolve.
Sri Lanka announced a few days ago that it had identified 42 foreign nationals among the deceased.
Several other foreigners are still missing and could be among the unidentified bodies at the Colombo morgue, the foreign ministry said on Monday evening.
The latest report shows 496 wounded who were hospitalized, among which 47 are still being treated, including 12 who are in intensive care.
The churches and the cardinal under high protection
On Sunday April 28, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said a private mass which was broadcast live on television. But all public masses have been canceled and since the Easter attacks, armed guards have been deployed outside churches.
Bodyguards were assigned to protect the cardinal, as well as a large contingent of security forces around his home. However, he refused the armored limousine provided to him by the government, preferring to drive in his regular car.
” I am not afraid. I don’t need armored vehicles to get around. The Lord is my protector, ” he said. “But I want security for my people and for the country . “
The archbishop had, however, expressed his concerns about the progress of the investigation into this wave of attacks.
Police say they have arrested more than 150 suspects since the Paschal carnage.
Attacks claimed by Daesh
The April 21 attacks on Sri Lankan hotels and churches have been claimed by ISIS, but authorities suspect two hitherto little-known movements named National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim.
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