Fresh violence against India's Christians: 100 homes destroyed; cardinal burned in effigy

September 26, 2008

In the Kandhamal district of Orissa, more churches and 100 homes were destroyed in a fresh wave of anti-Christian violence. In the nearby east Indian city of Ranchi, members of the Oraon tribe, considering Cardinal Telesphore Toppo – a fellow tribe member – the leader of all area Christians, have burned his image in effigy because of an offensive error in a Protestant Bible translation. Also in east India, the Bishop of Jamshedpur conducted a purification rite following the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament. He disputed the police’s contention that the desecration was an act of theft rather than anti-Christian violence. UCA News noted that ‘Church people would have dismissed it as a case of theft had money in the donation box been taken.’ Instead, ‘they took only holy things used on the altar,’ the bishop said.

 

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Further information:

• Curfew, additional forces in Kandhamal (ICNS)
• Renewed attack on Christians in Orissa (ICNS)
• Cardinal's effigy burned over faulty Protestant Bible translation (UCAN)
• Catholics suspect fanatics, police see theft behind Church desecration (UCAN)
• Anti-Christian attacks systematic: central govt. (ICNS)
• State’s inaction caused violence: Cardinal Gracias (ICNS)