The Faithful under fire

Christians become targets for terrorist attacks during Holy Week. Unfortunately this year was no different. In Indonesia a Catholic cathedral was attack by suicide bombers and in Nigeria a priest and six other people were killed in an attack by gunmen on a Catholic church.

By ACN Staff

Father Wilhelminus Tulak. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

The sad reality of the modern world is that attacks on Christians, particularly Catholics, increase dramatically during Holy Week . Around the world, in countries like Pakistan, the faithful take precautions and security measures to ensure their safety during this most holy time of year. The fact Christians are specifically targeted at this time of year indicates how central spiritual warfare is to Christian persecution.

Damage at the cathedral after the explosion. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

In 2021, so far there have been two major terrorist attacks on Christians in very different parts of the world. In both cases Catholics were targeted. On Palm Sunday, the Catholic cathedral in Makassar, Indonesia, was attacked two Islamist suicide bombers. The bombers were prevented from entering the cathedral by security guards. The bombers detonated the bombs outside of the cathedral. None of the cathedral’s congregation were killed, but around 20 were injured. The number of congregants was restricted due to COVID-19, this is possible partly why no members of the congregation were killed.

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) spoke with Father Wilhelminus Tulak, one of the priest who ministers at the cathedral. Fr. Tulak details how the security men reacted:

“One of the security men noticed two individuals on a motorcycle, attempting to drive onto the church grounds. The female pillion passenger was dressed in black, her face covered by a full veil. This struck the security man as suspicious, and he managed to prevent the two from entering the cathedral precincts. Shortly after this there was an explosion.”

According to the Indonesian police, both bombers belonged to Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, an Indonesian branch of ISIS.

Security camera captures explosion outside the cathedral in Indonesia. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

The attack in Indonesian was shocking and was reported in the media. There was another attack, this time lethal, on Catholics during Holy Week. On Spy Wednesday gunmen attacked a Catholic church in Nigeria. The church attacked was St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Benue State. A priest, Fr. Ferdinard Fanen Ngugban, and six others were killed in the attack, as reported by the Catholic News Agency.

Fr. Ferdinard had just celebrated Holy Mass when he was killed. He heard commotion outside and went outside of the church to check what was happening. He was then shot in head. Specific information about the attackers is not yet known. Christians in Nigeria are targeted by Boko Haram, but also increasingly by nomadic Muslim Fulani herdsmen, who are not formal members of organised Islamist groups. Both groups are determined to purge certain regions of Nigeria of Christians. This recent attack, like many attacks against Christians in Nigeria, has almost been completely ignored by the media.

Attacks on Christians are growing internationally. ACN spoke with the German-born Fr. Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ, who is resident in Indonesia and has taught a various university there for several years. He said his reaction to the attack was:

“My first impression after the attack was, what, not again? But I was not surprised.”

Although the attack was not a surprise it is a worrying development for Indonesia’s Christians. There has been a more hard-line elements amongst Indonesia’s Muslim population for sometime, but they have been very critical of terrorism. The restoring to terrorism is a worrying development. Please keep persecuted Christians around the world in your prayers.