Kazakhstan has been rocked by unrest over the last few weeks. Catholics only make up one percent of Kazakhstan’s population, but despite this, the bishops in the Central Asian country have called for prayer and for peace.

By ACN Staff

On Monday, 10th January, Kazakhstan held a day of national mourning. As part of this day of mourning, Archbishop Tomasz Peta spoke to his fellow citizens over television, calling on them to do all that was possible to solve the current crisis peaceably.

Archbishop Peta is currently the metropolitan archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mary Most Holy in Astana, covering the northern part of Kazakhstan. The archbishop also sent his message in Russian to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The archbishop lamented the violence in the last few weeks, costing nearly 200 people their lives. This violence took place against the backdrop of protests that seem to have been sparked by rising fuel prices.

The archbishop has asked the priests of his archdiocese to celebrate Holy Mass on Thursday 13th January and “to pray for victims and peace in our beloved Kazakhstan”. Archbishop Peta will celebrate Holy Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Kazakhstan’s capital, Nur-Sultan (formerly called Astana).

The archbishop also said the following:

“On Sunday, after the Angelus prayer, Pope Francis spoke about the incidents in Kazakhstan. He entrusted Kazakhstan to the protection of Our Lady Queen of Peace of Oziornoje. Following the Pope's appeal, we also want to ask for peace through the intercession of the patroness of our country, the Queen of Peace.”

ACN has learned that the north of Kazakhstan (including the capital Nur-Sultan), is relatively calm. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the south of Kazakhstan, with communication being more difficult.

Bishop José Luis Mumbiela of Diocese of Almaty and chairman of Kazakhstan’s Bishop Conference, also called for prayer on the national day of mourning. His message was also sent to ACN:

"Here in Almaty we thank you all for your prayers, compassion and worries. We want to remember in our prayers those who have suffered the most during the last week. During those days and nights, Almaty was foggy due to the weather conditions, but there was also fog inside many people.”

The bishop said that weather conditions have made it difficult to figure out what exactly is going on, but it is certain that the people of Kazakhstan do not deserve the current unrest.

The bishop finished by saying:

“We have to remember that peace is in our hands and depends on us. Blessed are the peacemakers. Let us not only pray for peace, but also create peace for others with the help of God. Let us try to rebuild the Kazakhstan that we all dream of together, with all the people of this country and of this city, an international and interreligious Kazakhstan, a Kazakhstan of peace and harmony, a Kazakhstan that God loves and blesses with the special love of Holy Mary, Queen of Peace of this nation.”

Monsignor Adelio del Oro, bishop of the Diocese of Karaganda in the central east of Kazakhstan, also had a message in Russian passed on to ACN. In his statement, the bishop remembered those who lost their lives in his diocese, and he also stressed the importance of human life and that violence is not the answer. The bishop explained that true peace is a gift from God, "which gives us the understanding that we are all brothers and sisters”.

“Then we can respect each other's life and forgive. We can only forgive with the power of God. That is why we pray for all the victims, hoping that everything will be resolved in peace, with justice and for the good of all.”