Sri
 Lankan
 attacks 
a 
‘heartbreaking’ reminder 
of 
today’s
 martyrs

The martyrdom of Christians in Sri Lanka should underline how Christians are threatened worldwide, Archbishop Eamon Martin has said.

Speaking in Armagh Cathedral, the Primate of All-Ireland said it was “heartbreaking” that Sri Lankan Christians were unable to gather for Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday following the Easter Sunday bombings in the south Asian country.

“These atrocities remind us of the life-threatening conditions of our fellow Christians in many parts of the world,” Archbishop Martin said, adding that he plans this July to unveil a shrine in the cathedral to St Oliver Plunkett, his martyred predecessor as Archbishop of Armagh, and to all those who face persecution for the Faith.

“The shrine will honour all the martyrs of yesterday, today and tomorrow, recognising that persecution and martyrdom of Christians does not belong to the past – it is sadly a present-day reality for many of our brothers and sisters and this situation is likely to continue, or even get worse into the future,” he said