Sri Lanka Churches Bombed, Massacre on Easter Sunday

April 22, 2019

Islamist terrorists bombed three churches in Sri Lanka packed with Christians celebrating Easter Sunday services.

Four hotels and a house were also bombed. Around 253 people were killed and 500 injured.

The blasts exploded St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, and Zion Church in Batticaloa.

On Sunday evening, Zion Church posted on its Facebook page “May the Dear Lord continue to comfort us all in this difficult time.”

An Islamic group perpetrated the Easter bloodbath. In 2016, authorities said 32 Sri Lankans had joined ISIS.

Christians were clearly the target of the coordinated mass bombings at Easter church services and hotels frequented by Western tourists.

Persecution against Christians in Sri Lanka has increased since 2012 with Buddhist nationalist extremists accounting for the rise.

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka reported 86 cases of violence and discrimination against Christians in 2018 and 93 in 2019. Mob attacks on churches, government closures of churches, arson, vandalism, intimidation, personal attacks, discrimination (such as preventing Christians burials) reached 320 cases from January 2013 to June 2016.

On the day of the Sri Lanka massacres, Christian Freedom International’s director in a restricted country said a young Muslim man in his country showed up to learn about Jesus. “He has lost all his faith and honor in Islam because of seeing the brutal, inhumane acts of Islam in this world. He is seeking a better God to serve. Please pray for him.”

Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead – proving His power over death and the certainty of His promise of eternal life. As Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25 – 26

Pray for: