HYDERABAD: May 10, 2019. (Rubina David) On 28th April, 2019 National Commission for Justice and Peace, Hyderabad office under the leadership of Rev.Fr. Shahrukh Nathaniel OFM (Director NCJP Hyderabad) holds a Symbolic Protest Candle-lighting in solidarity with Sri Lanka (Martyrs) the victim of brutal act of terrorism.

At 8:45 a.m., explosions were detonated during Easter Mass at churches in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, and in Negombo, a city 20 miles to its north. At the same time, a bomb exploded at a service at the evangelical Zion church in Batticaolo, on Sri Lanka’s east coast. St. Anthony’s Shrine was the Catholic Church targeted in Colombo and St. Sebastian’s is the Catholic parish in Negombo.

His Excellency Bishop Samson Shukardin OFM, Rev. Fr. Felix De’Souza OFM, Fr. Tariq Talib, Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, Sisters of St. Columban, FMM Sisters, Catechists and people participated from different areas of the Diocese of Hyderabad.

Series of candle-lighting prayer service arranged in three areas St. Joseph Church Latifabad #10, St. Anthony Church Latifabad # 05 and St. John the Apostle Church Latifabad # 06 of St. Elizabeth Parish, Hyderabad. People participated in their areas to show solidarity with those people who affected in this incident. They prayed for victims and strongly condemned.

His Excellency Bishop Samson Shukardin OFM condemned the bombings and prayed for them. He said it is very sad for all of us, "I wish to, therefore, express my deepest sympathy to all those innocent families that have lost someone.

At the end Rev.Fr. Shahrukh Nathaniel OFM (Director NCJP Hyderabad) expressing solidarity said that “We say yes to love and peace and no to terrorism,” we united with the victims in this sorrow. After the Mass we all lit up candles for those Martyrs who passed away in this attack.