Catholic church vandalized in northern India

MUMBAI, India – A Catholic church was vandalized in northern India on December 26, resulting in the destruction of a statue of Jesus Christ.

The incident happened at 19^e century of Holy Redeemer Church in Ambala, a city in the state of Haryana, located near the national capital, Delhi. Christians make up just 0.2 percent of the state, compared to 2.3 percent of the national population.

The church had been closed early on Christmas Day due to COVID-19 restrictions in the state. During the night, two young people scaled the walls of the church compound and vandalized the life-size statue of Christ, damaged the lighting inside the compound, then fled.

Bishop Ignatius Loyola Mascarenhas of Shimla-Chandigarh said he was “saddened and distressed” by the vandalism of the church.

“On Christmas Day, thousands of people of other faiths come to visit the crib of this Church of the Holy Redeemer. The church closes at 10:30 p.m., because of the 11:00 p.m. curfew, “he told Node. “This incident took place on the night of Christmas Day and December 26 between 1:40 a.m. and the wee hours of the morning.”

The bishop said he was personally “deeply hurt” when he saw the damage to the statue.

“I was very emotional and had to control my tears. My parents got married in this same Church of the Holy Redeemer in 1948 and my sister was baptized in this church. Redemptorist priests are very good priests. was not a good surprise to see the statue crashing to the ground, ”said Mascarenhas.

Redemptorist Father Ivel Mendanha, the provincial superior of the order’s Majella, noted that the Church of the Holy Redeemer is “one of our first foundations”.

The church was built in 1843, during the British colonial period.

“In this season of love and light, we Redemptorists, witnesses of the Redeemer in a wounded world, we feel wounded by the vandalism of the statue of the Redeemer in our Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Ambala”, he said. declared. Node.

“However, as witnesses of the Redeemer, we will not give in to violence but will continue in the Spirit of love and light to offer forgiveness and thus strive to build bridges and share the redemptive love of Redeemer Our Lord Jesus despite our own wounds The theme of our general chapter is that of witnesses of the Redeemer in solidarity for the mission in a wounded world ”, continued the priest.

The crime was reported to authorities and local police said they were examining CCTV footage to identify the culprits.

“I met the police and assured me that they were doing their best. They formed three teams to investigate, ”Mascarenhas said.

The bishop said Node he presided over a repair service on the afternoon of December 26.

“[I] said to our people, Christ was born in a manger, placed on a wooden manger, then crucified on a wooden cross at Calvary, so that the Birth of the Prince of Peace, already had the shadows of His Crucifixion. This Christmas octave is that of martyrdom, Boxing Day is the feast of Saint Stephen the first martyr, and [Dec.27] is St John who was put in a cauldron of boiling oil and [Dec. 28] the feast of the Holy Innocents ”, he declared.

“There are already signs of suffering at the birth of Christ and we witnessed the same at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Ambala: suffering in front of the broken statue of the Church of the Holy Redeemer in the ‘dawn after Christmas day,’ he added.

“Jesus’ last words were ‘Father, forgive them’: Likewise, we forgive. It pains us that someone can do this, ”said Mascarenhas.