A group of Indian Christians have decided to observe Martyrdom Day on July
22 in memory of Christians who are persecuted and killed for their
faith. It was the initiative of Shibu Thomas who through
his ecumenical movement, “Persecution
Relief” said special prayers were offered in Churches across the country. The
observance is "part of a concerted effort to encourage those who continue to struggle
to cope with persecution and challenge to live a true Christian life," Thomas told
UCANEWS.
Thomas explained that July 22 was chosen as it marked the first anniversary of the
rape and murder of a Christian
schoolgirl in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh after her family refused
to abandon their Christian faith despite several threats. "This was an act of revenge
and intimidation, to get her family to renounce their faith, but they are still firm
in their faith despite continuing threats," Thomas said. "The day is a moral
boost for such persons who suffer for the sake of Christ," he said.
Growing persecution
Christian leaders like him say attacks against Christians have increased
since 2014 when the right-wing pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) came to power in a landslide victory. Fundamentalist Hindu groups,
who consider BJP as their political wing, took the election victory as a mandate
to step up their action to make India a Hindu-only nation.
Data collected by Persecution Relief shows that in 2016 alone, Hindu extremists
destroyed 106 Christian places of worship, most of them belonging to Protestant
and neo-Pentecostal groups.
Kandhamal, the worst persecution
In one of the worst persecutions against Christians in Indian history, nearly
100 Christians were killed in the orchestrated riots that Hindu extremists
unleashed in Kandhamal district of eastern India’s Odisha state
in August, 2008. (Source: UCANEWS)
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