After the first prayer of the year in the Vatican, he Pope Francisco expressed his “worry” due to the situation of Nicaragua, where They arrested at least 14 priests and two seminarians since December 20, amid growing tension between the Catholic Church and the government of Daniel Ortega.
“I follow with concern everything that is happening in Nicaragua, where bishops and priests have been deprived of their freedom. I convey to them, to their family and to the entire Church of the country my closeness in prayer,” he then said in the prayer of the first Angelus of the year.
In that sense, the Pope He urged everyone present in St. Peter’s Square to pray and maintained that he hopes to “seek the path of dialogue to overcome the difficulties.” “Let us pray today for Nicaragua“remarked the Supreme Pontiff according to the Vatican News site.
Concern: at least 14 priests detained in Nicaragua
In the last 10 days, the number of priests detained in Nicaragua continues to grow and This Monday it reached 14, in accordance with the complaints of religious and humanitarian activists in exile.
Priest Gustavo Sandino, parish priest in the municipality of Santa María de Pantasma, in the department of Jinotega, He was arrested on the last day of 2023, reported the AFP news agency. This wave of arrests began with the arrest of the bishop of Siuna, Isidoro Mora, on December 20according to a list by the lawyer specializing in Church issues, Martha Molina, exiled in the United States.
Neither the government nor the police referred to the situation of the religious.
The government portal El 19 Digital highlighted, however, a massive New Year’s Eve vigil of thousands of evangelicals from the “Ministerio Ríos de Agua Viva”, held in the southeast of Managua with the support of the police, firefighters and the capital’s mayor’s office.
“Pope Francis has recalled with concern to our bishops and priests kidnapped by the dictatorship and their families. She has also prayed for them and asked to pray for Nicaragua. Thank you Holy Father!” said the auxiliary bishop of Managua, Silvio Báezwhich at the request of the Vatican left the country in 2019.
Strong tension in Nicaragua between the Government and the Catholic Church
The relationship between Church and the government deteriorated during the 2018 protests, after Ortega accused religious people of supporting the opponents in what he considered a Coup attempt.
The protests with highway blockades and clashes between opponents and supporters of the government left more than 300 dead, according to UN data. A dozen organizations of Nicaraguans in exile yesterday asked for international support to achieve the release of 120 opponents imprisoned in Nicaragua, as well as the priests.
Source: Ambito
