Sri Lanka marks 6 years since deadly Easter Sunday attacks
April 21, 2025 07:38 am
All the churches across the island will observe a two-minute silence to mark the sixth anniversary of the deadly terror attacks on Easter Sunday (April 21) in 2019.
This moment of silence will be held at 08.45 a.m. today (21) in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the tragic bombings, according to the communications unit of the Archdiocese of Colombo.
National Catholic Mass Communications Director Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando stated that the solemn celebration will begin at 8.30 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, presided over by the Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
It is scheduled to be attended by religious leaders, ambassadors, and victims and their families.
Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando further stated that His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith will announce the Vatican’s recognition of those who died in the Easter Sunday attacks as witnesses of faith at 5.30 p.m., and the Mass will be held.
Sri Lanka was left devastated on April 21, 2019 after a group of suicide attackers of the now-outlawed local Islamic extremist organization National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) carried out a series of coordinated bomb blasts at St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Zion Church in Batticaloa, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Shangri-La hotels in Colombo and a guest house in Dehiwala, leaving more than 270 people including foreigners dead and at least 500 people injured.
