ASIA/INDIA – An old catholic church in the state of Meghalaya damaged and destroyed
Thursday, September 1, 2022
Tura (Agenzia Fides) – One of the oldest churches in the district of Garo Hills, in the state of Meghalaya, northeast India, was destroyed by vandals. The attack shocked the community in the town of Daram, where the church is located. As Agenzia Fides learned, the vandals attacked figures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, the Child Jesus and a crucifix placed on the wall above the altar. As a spokesperson for the local Church explains to Agenzia Fides, the incident probably happened on the night of August 22, but was not reported until the following days after the complaint was filed. with the police. The delay in reporting is due to the fact that the priests of the church were not in the area and they were attending a convention in Tura, a municipality in the West Garo Hills district. On their return, they discover violence and destruction. According to the complaint, the criminals did not steal valuables, but simply destroyed the church.
The church furniture was destroyed and the local community cannot explain the reason or the origin of this attack by unknown persons and which deeply affected the Catholic community. According to the first investigations, it could be the work of a person suffering from mental disorders.
The Catholic Church in India has been reporting for some time the worrying increase in episodes of violence against buildings and the faithful (see Fides, 31/8/2022). In the state of Meghalaya, there are 2.6 million inhabitants, mainly tribal people, including 950,000 Catholics. (SD/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 09/01/2022)
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