Two suicide bombers attacked a Roman Catholic Church in Makassar, Indonesia, on Palm Sunday, wounding at least 20 people, according to state officials.
Both attackers died in the blast, police said.
The assault happened at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral at around 10:30 a.m., toward the end of a Palm Sunday Mass service, NPR reported. The bombers attempted to get into the church compound on a motorbike and detonated at least one explosive near the entrance of the sanctuary.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has condemned the bombing as an “act of terrorism” and has ordered law enforcement “to thoroughly investigate” the attackers’ associations and to “tear down the networks to their roots.”
David Curry, president of Open Doors USA, a nonprofit advocating for persecuted Christians around the globe, noted in a statement obtained by Faithwire that Holy Week is “one of the most dangerous” times of the year for believers in heavily persecuted areas, “because their practice of faith is more publicly exposed.”
“This attack is not an isolated event,” he said of the bombing in Indonesia. “Christians are systematically targeted by Islamic extremists who are trying to expand Islamic influence by expelling Christians from the country.”
Of those injured, 14 are in “critical condition,” according to an Open Doors source whose name has been withheld for security reasons.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
Curry said the nonprofit is “mobilizing support to the scene of the attacks.”
“We’ll be there to support them in their time of need,” he added. “Meanwhile, we’re calling on Christians in the United States to pray fervently for the victims of the Makassar attack and for the Indonesian church at large.”
Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which boasts some 13% of the world’s Islamic population, according to Pew Research. The country ranks No. 47 on Open Doors’ 2021 World Watch List. It is home to more than 33 million Christians.