Priest Charged Over Christmas Carols Acquitted
Father George Mangalapilly from India was imprisoned after holding Christmas celebration, including carol singing. He was accused of forcing people to convert to Christianity. His case was recently dismissed from court.
By ACN Staff
Father George Mangalapilly at Christmas celebrations in the vollage. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
On 14 December 2017, Father George Mangalapilly and a group of 32 seminarians were attacked in the village of Bhumkahar, Jawahar Nagar in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, by a group of Hindu extremists. The priest and seminarians had been singing Christmas carols when they were attacked. Father George and the seminarians were brought to the local police station. There Father George was charged with the alleged crime of “forcible religious conversion”.
Father George and the seminarians under arrest in the police station. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
This September, Father George’s case was finally thrown out of court by the Indian Supreme Court. After being acquitted, Father George spoke with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to tell us more about the ordeal he went through. Here in Father George’s own word is what happened in December 2017:
“We were two priests and 32 seminarians, theology students, and we had travelled to the village of Bhumkahar, Jawahar Nagar, about 10 miles (15 km) from the seminary. As we have always done for years, we had organised a Christmas programme, with various cultural activities and with the help of the villagers. The event was almost over when a group of people arrived and broke up the gathering. They used abusive words and tried to beat some of our seminarians. They ordered us to stop and told us that we needed official permission to hold such an event. A few minutes later, several policemen arrived from the city, ordered us to stop, and took us all to the police station.
They accused us of trying to convert the local people to Christianity, but this was an event we had been organising for many years and was part of seminary formation. On the way to the police station, we contacted the seminary, and some other priests came to the police station. After an hour, or more, we arrived at the police station and they put us – thirty-two seminarians, two priests and another seven priests who came to the station to enquire about what was happening, including the rector of the seminary and a local driver – all together in one crowded room of the police station until the early morning.”
Christmas celebrations in the village. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The seminarians and priests were granted bail. Father George stated that they were concerned they may be attacked after being released by the police, but thankfully this did not happen. Father George’s car was however set on fire by the Hindu extremists. Father George explained that Madhya Pradesh State has a law dating to 1968 that makes it illegal for someone to be forcibly converted to Christianity. The case against Father George was baseless. He had not forced anyone to convert to Christianity. There was only one witness alleging this, and without any evidence. The witness changed his story in court and for this reason the case was dismissed, and Father George was acquitted. Father George has met with the man who accused him and says that everything is resolved, and that the man understands now what he did was wrong.
Father George explained that during the case he had to sign in regularly at the court and it was a bit of a burden. He also explained that this targeting of Christians is nothing new in India. This particularly true in states governed by Hindu political parties. Father George explains why the Hindu extremists fear Christians:
“They are afraid of the Christians, because we are educating the people, especially the poor, marginalised, and the downtrodden. We are teaching people to read and write who could not do so before. In India there are a great many people who are poor and illiterate, and the Church is educating them. And of course, some people are afraid that if people are given an education, they will start to insist on their rights.”
Father George is insistent that this persecution will not stop the Church in India. Persecution in fact helps the Church to grow. Please join us in prayer for the Church in India.