Local Churches Pray For Sri Lanka After Easter Sunday Attacks
LEXINGTON (CBS) -- On this Easter Sunday, prayers are being offered for the victims of the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks.
At Grace Chapel in Lexington, parishioners came together to pray.
At the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Cardinal Sean O'Malley offered prayers of hope and healing. "We pray for all who lost their lives and who were injured," he said.
Easter Sunday turned deadly in Sri Lanka: hundreds were killed and even more were injured in bomb blasts that ripped through churches and hotels.
We join the world in shock and horror at the devastating attacks on innocent people in Sri Lanka and condemn the senseless, unprovoked violence on those worshipping in churches and visiting that country. @bostoncatholic
— Cardinal Seán (@CardinalSean) April 21, 2019
As Christians today celebrate Easter Sunday we join with our brothers and sisters of all faiths in renewing the commitment to stand together in resistance to expressions of acts of hate and persecution. @bostoncatholic
— Cardinal Seán (@CardinalSean) April 21, 2019
"When I heard this news, I was really broken," said Pastor Gabriel George, who leads the New England Talmil Church in Stoneham. He delivered a powerful message to his congregation that consists of mainly Indian and Sri Lankan people.
"We are going to pray for people of Sri Lanka that God will intervene in their lives, catch their lives and give them peace," he said.
Another parishioner told WBZ-TV, "Easter is a joyous celebration for us as Christians. Dealing with such grief and loss is definitely just really hard to hear and our hearts go out to them."
Some of the members of the Stoneham church were too heartbroken to attend the Easter Sunday celebration. The church plans to hold a memorial service later this week to help those families in need.
'We will be having special service for the grieving families and praying, upholding the people of Sri Lanka in our prayers," George said.