“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15 ESV.

For many Sri Lankan Christians, Easter is a day of mourning and remembrance — a day to honour those who were targeted and killed for their faith 21 April 2019.

ISIS-related suicide bombers had targeted three churches and three five-star hotels, killing at least 270 and injuring 500. (Wikipedia Report)

One victim died from her injuries in 2024. Most of the victims were Sri Lankan and at least 45 were foreign nationals.

This year, radio and television channels across the country muted their broadcasts for two minutes as a mark of respect.

Armed police and military personnel were on high alert as churches across the country observed the anniversary of the Easter bombings. Just days before Easter, a gunman opened fire at a church near the capital, Colombo.

No one was injured, but police said windows of the church were damaged. A suspect was arrested.

There were several memorial programmes for the victims. In Colombo, hundreds of their relatives marched from St. Lucia’s Cathedral to St. Anthony’s Shrine, one of the churches attacked.

The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, said the Roman Catholic Church had formally recognised 167 church members killed in the bombings as “heroes of faith”, a designation given to individuals who died for their religious faith.

Earlier in March, Sri Lanka deported two Indian pastors for allegedly violating visa regulations by engaging in preaching activities.

Pastor Edwin Glory Thomas and Pastor Johnson were arrested when officials raided the Christ Evangelical Church in Matakal West, Jaffna district during their seventh anniversary celebrations.

The pastors were questioned and subsequently deported. Their arrest followed a complaint lodged by a local group, which claimed that the two had breached their tourist visa conditions by conducting religious work.

They should have obtained official clearance with a religious visa. In another incident in March, police raided a church in Nuwara Eliya and ordered two foreign pastors without religious visas, one Indian and one Malaysian, to leave the country with immediate effect.

Home Group Prayer

Dear LORD,

We thank you for the beautiful country of Sri Lanka.

We remember the people there at the time of remembrance of the sad and terrible event that took place six years ago.

We think of those who were killed for your name, and also those who are being arrested and persecuted for speaking your Word.

As the country continues to recover from political and social turmoil, we ask that your presence be strongly manifested there, and that your name will continue to be lifted up.

We think of the families that lost loved ones, including little children, in the Easter bombings and other attacks, and lift them up to you.

May your comfort be ever present in their lives. We especially lift up the survivors, including Elaisha Debbie, the little girl who lost her eyesight, her parents, and one brother.

Please continue to give them strength and hope. Pour your spirit upon the church in Sri Lanka and bring revival there.

May all levels of society experience a deep change — from the government to the lowly worker, from the common man to the women and children, let praise ring out.

May the church be empowered to continue the good work you have begun in them.

We commit Sri Lanka into your hands in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Photo ^©Chamila Karunarathne/AP

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Materials used by kind permission of the original author.

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