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SRILANKA-ATTACKS-CHURCH
Sri Lanka to resume Mass on Sunday: cardinal
COLOMBO, April 30, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church said
public Mass will resume on Sunday amid tight security, two weeks after Easter
Sunday bombings killed 253 people at three churches and three luxury hotels.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said the Church was closely monitoring government
investigations into the April 21 suicide attacks and wanted to be sure of the
security situation before returning to daily services.
“On the 5th of May we are going to begin Masses,” he told AFP on Tuesday.
“But we will start with a smaller number of Masses and see if we can
slowly increase it depending on how the situation develops.”
The Cardinal, who is also the Archbishop of Colombo, conducted a private
memorial Mass that was broadcast live on television last Sunday after
cancelling all public services amid fears of a repeat of the Easter attacks.
Armed guards and an armoured personnel carrier have been placed outside
the Cardinal’s Colombo residence as part of his security arrangements.
But he said he returned a bullet-proof limousine that was given by the
government and instead travelled in an ordinary car.
“I am not afraid. I don’t need bullet-proof vehicles to go about. The Lord
is my protector,” he said. “But, I want security for my people, and for the
country.”
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1430 hrs