WCC NEWS: WCC condemns bombing of Makassar church in Indonesia

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca condemned a bomb attack outside a Catholic church on Palm Sunday in the Indonesian city of Makassar that left at least 14 people wounded. Police believe two suicide bombers perished in the attack. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 29 March 2021 “We pray for the victims of this cruel attack, for their families and loved ones, for the worshippers who were just concluding their Palm Sunday service,” said Sauca. “We pray for the perpetrators, who fell prey to such extremist ideologies that they were willing to destroy themselves in order to hurt others.” Sauca urged Indonesian government officials to increase security measures to protect innocent people from extremist attacks. “All people, everywhere should be able to safely attend church without fearing for their lives and their children’s lives,” he said. Sauca also called for solidarity from the world in bringing peace, security and justice not only to Indonesia but to all people, in every nation. “An attack on a local church—an egregiously misguided act targeting grandparents, and their children and grandchildren—as they worship, is an attack on us all,” he said. Member churches in Indonesia   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland