The Vatican will include 167 Catholics killed in Sri Lanka’s 2019 Easter bombings in its official list of 21st-century “Witnesses of Faith.”
The Archbishop of Colombo announced the decision during a recent memorial vigil, according to a report by Vatican’s Fides News Agency.
“This is intended to honor their sacrifice motivated by hatred for the faith,” said Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, referring to an official communication from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
The victims will be listed as part of the Jubilee Year celebrations, which will highlight Christian martyrs of the modern era.
The announcement was made at a vigil held at St. Anthony’s Church in Colombo, one of the churches attacked during the coordinated bombings.
The gathering drew hundreds of participants, including religious leaders from Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim communities.
Father Jude Fernando, a priest in Colombo, said the 167 Catholics were chosen “because of their violent opposition to their faith motivated by ‘odium fidei.’” He added that seven other victims of different faiths “were also remembered with respect.”
The individuals recognized were selected by a special Vatican commission tasked with compiling and updating the list of witnesses for the Jubilee.
More than 260 people were killed and hundreds injured in the attacks, which targeted three churches—two Catholic and one Protestant—and three tourist hotels.
The bombings, carried out on April 21, 2019, remain one of the deadliest acts of violence in Sri Lanka’s recent history.
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has continued to call for deeper investigations into the attacks, citing allegations of involvement by state officials and intelligence agencies.
The country’s new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected in late 2024, has pledged to conduct a thorough inquiry.
The inclusion of the victims in the “Witnesses of Faith” list affirms their legacy as martyrs and strengthens the Church’s call for truth and accountability.
