Sri Lankan Church Seeks Canonization for Victims of 2019 Easter Sunday Bombings

The Sri Lankan Catholic Church is seeking canonization for the hundreds of faithful killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, dismissing government reports as biased and untrue. The church officials plan to submit a petition to the Vatican on April 21, the fifth anniversary of the deadly terror attack.

The suicide bombers, allegedly linked to a local extremist group, targeted three churches and three luxury hotels, leaving 279 people dead and many more injured. Most of the victims were Catholics attending Easter Sunday Mass.

The church wants the slain Catholics to be declared “martyrs of faith,” emphasizing that they died for their beliefs. While pursuing canonization for the victims, the church continues to demand justice and an impartial international probe to uncover the truth behind the attacks.

A documentary released by British broadcaster Channel Four supported claims by church officials that senior government officials played a role in engineering the attacks to create a sense of insecurity and return to power. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo has been critical of the government’s handling of the probe, accusing the current administration of protecting the masterminds.

Family members of the victims have welcomed the church’s move for canonization and reiterated the call for justice. Rights activist Ruwani Fernando highlighted the lack of trust in the government’s narrative, with many believing the bombings were orchestrated to benefit a political family.

As the church seeks justice and recognition for the martyrs of the Easter Sunday bombings, the quest for truth and accountability continues in Sri Lanka.