Sri Lanka’s churches closed for second week
Catholic leaders cancelled Sunday Masses as Sri Lanka’s churches remained closed for a second week for fear of further terrorist attacks after the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people.
May 07, 2019
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Catholic leaders cancelled Sunday Masses as Sri Lanka’s churches remained closed for a second week for fear of further terrorist attacks after the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that killed more than 250 people.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had earlier announced that Sunday Masses would be held on May 5 but he cancelled services after considering the latest security alert about possible attacks.
Catholic schools have been closed until further notice but all government schools were due to reopen on May 6.
A police curfew was imposed in Negombo on the night of May 5 after a clash between two groups in the Porutota-Kochchikade area. A military spokesman told media that the fight was between ethnic Sinhalese people and Muslims. He declined to say whether there were any arrests.
St Sebastian’s Church in Catholic- majority Negombo was among the sites bombed in the Islamic State group-linked attacks on Easter Sunday.
Social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Viber and WhatsApp were blocked after the violence in Negombo. Cardinal Ranjith held a televised private Mass at the Archbishop’s House chapel in Colombo on May 5. -- ucanews.com
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