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All Sri Lanka Catholic church services suspended: senior priest
COLOMBO, April 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – All of Sri Lanka’s Catholic churches
have been ordered to stay closed and suspend services until security improves
after deadly Easter bombings, a senior priest told AFP Thursday.
“On the advice of the security forces we are keeping all churches closed,”
the priest said. “There will be no public mass said until further notice.”
Security has already been stepped up at churches across the country,
government officials said.
A string of suicide bomb attacks targeting three churches — two of them
Catholic — and three hotels on Sunday killed at least 359 people and wounded
hundreds.
The attacks came as churches were packed with worshippers attending Easter
Sunday services.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1254 hrs