Latest news with #MalcolmRanjith
India.com
22-04-2025
- Politics
- India.com
This Asian Cardinal could be the next Pope; his name is…, he is from…, if he is elected then…
This Asian Cardinal could be the next Pope; his name is…, he is from…, if he is elected then… Only those cardinals who are under 80 years of age can participate. By Tahir Qureshi Edited by Tahir Qureshi Advertisement Next Pope at Vatican: Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 due to health complications. He was hospitalized in February of this year due to severe pneumonia. After being admitted for 38 days, he was discharged from the hospital. Pope Francis also suffered from a respiratory infection, but he recovered after treatment. On Monday, he suffered a stroke and bid farewell to this mortal world. Since his passing, speculations about a new pope have begun. The New York Post listed the following cardinals as likely successors to Pope Francis following his death on Monday: Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, of the Philippines Advertisement === Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, of Italy Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, of France Advertisement === Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk, 71, of Denmark Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, 77, of Sri Lanka Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, of Guinea If Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith from Sri Lanka succeeds in reaching the Vatican, it will be the first time someone from Asia ascends to this supreme position. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is the Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is seen as a dark horse due to his conservative tendencies and representation of the Global South. He has gained attention due to his traditional stance. After the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjit's name emerging as a contender for his successor indicates several signals. According to experts, there has been a monopoly of Europe in the papacy. When Pope Francis ascended to the papacy, he broke centuries of records. He was the first Catholic leader to become pope from Latin America. Pope Francis took stands in several matters that were unconventional, whether it was related to LGBTQ issues or his frank opinions on Gaza, Pope Francis boldly and unconventionally presented his views to the world. Selection process of the Pope Within 20 days of the Pope's death, a conclave of 120 cardinals will take place from the 138 'Princes of the Church'. Only those cardinals who are under 80 years of age can participate. Only such cardinals have the right to vote. Voting will take place four times a day until a successor is chosen. After 30 votes, only the top two candidates will be allowed to proceed. Whoever obtains a two-thirds majority will become the next Pope.
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Vatican declares victims of 2019 Sri Lankan Easter bombings as ‘witnesses of faith'
The Vatican has named 167 of its faithful killed in the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka as "witnesses of faith" in what appears to be one of the last papal acts of Pope Francis before his death. Hundreds of people, including leaders from other regions, attended a vigil Monday in memory of the victims at the church of St Anthony targeted in the bombings. Sri Lanka on Monday marked the sixth anniversary of one of the worst attacks on the island nation, in which at least 269 people, including 47 foreigners, were killed in the targeted bombing of Catholic churches and five-star hotels during Easter Sunday mass. Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, told the attendees that Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, has included the names of 167 Catholics who died in the bombings 'in the catalogue of the witnesses of the faith in its order book, considering the context of their heroism'. Witnesses of faith are those who sacrificed their lives for their belief. Cardinal Ranjith said they were chosen 'due to violent opposition to their faith motivated by 'odium fidei,' the hate of the faith'. He said seven victims of other faiths were 'respectfully remembered". Pope Francis formalised in 2023 a new category of recognition by the church of people who lost their lives while professing the Catholic faith and created a special Vatican commission to catalogue their cases. The commission, based in the Vatican's saint-making office, has gathered hundreds of cases, with a view to highlighting them alongside officially recognised martyrs of the church, who are on the path to possible beatification or sainthood. Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were accused of carrying out six near-simultaneous suicide bomb attacks. Officials have charged dozens of people who allegedly received weapons training and participated in indoctrination classes from the two local Islamic extremist groups. But no one has yet been convicted or sentenced given 23,000 charges filed against them. Experts believe the case could drag for years due to the volume of charges. The Catholic church has alleged that the government at the time covered up investigations "to protect the brains behind the attacks" and demanded further probing in the attacks. The calls for investigation grew louder after Channel 4 aired an interview of a man who claimed that he arranged a meeting between a local Islamic state-inspired group, National Thowheed Jamath, and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka. He said the chaos would be used to enable former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later that year.
Saudi Gazette
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Sri Lanka Easter bombings victims named 'heroes of faith' by Vatican
SINGAPORE — The Vatican has named 167 people who died in the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka as "heroes of faith". The country's cardinal, Malcolm Ranjith, made the announcement at an event to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the suicide attacks which targeted Catholic churches and five-star hotels during Easter Sunday mass, killing 269 people. Those recognized by the Vatican were Catholic faithful attending mass at the churches that were attacked. The bombings shook the country, which had not seen such levels of violence since the end of a civil war in 2009. However, since then investigations into the attacks have been controversial. There has been public criticism from families of the victims and from the island's minority Christian community, who accuse the government of dragging their feet in taking action against those suspected of carrying out the bombings. Anger grew as information emerged that intelligence warnings about the attacks were not acted upon by security heads or the government of the time. The country's Supreme Court has since directed then president Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation to the victims of the bombings for "ignoring actionable intelligence" that could have prevented the attacks. A trial was opened against 25 people accused of masterminding the attacks in 2021. However, with 23,000 charges filed against the men, lawyers involved in the case warned that the sheer number of charges and staggering witness list could mean the trial dragging on for years. The Catholic community led by Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly alleged that the government at the time covered up investigations "to protect the brains behind the attacks". A 2023 investigation by Channel 4, which raised questions about links between the government, military and the group blamed for the attacks, also prompted public anger. It alleged that the attacks were allowed to happen for political power. Presidential elections held soon after the attacks saw Gotabaya Rajapaksa sweep to power, after campaigning on a national security platform. He made a statement in parliament denying all the allegations raised in the documentary. The issue gained new currency when Sri Lanka elected a new president and parliament in 2024. The newly-elected government has since alleged that the attacks were a conspiracy by a "certain group" to seize political power at the time. They have also reopened investigations into the attacks, with a report of a presidential inquiry commission officially handed over to the country's central investigative agency for further inquiry. "As a government, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that justice is served. Ongoing efforts to investigate the attacks and uncover all truths without obstruction or delay remain a top priority. Accountability, transparency, and genuine justice are essential to honoring the memory of the victims and restoring public trust," Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said in a statement to mark the anniversary. — BBC
Saudi Gazette
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Sri Lanka Easter bombings victims named 'heroes of faith' by Vatican
SINGAPORE — The Vatican has named 167 people who died in the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka as "heroes of faith". The country's cardinal, Malcolm Ranjith, made the announcement at an event to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the suicide attacks which targeted Catholic churches and five-star hotels during Easter Sunday mass, killing 269 people. Those recognized by the Vatican were Catholic faithful attending mass at the churches that were attacked. The bombings shook the country, which had not seen such levels of violence since the end of a civil war in 2009. However, since then investigations into the attacks have been controversial. There has been public criticism from families of the victims and from the island's minority Christian community, who accuse the government of dragging their feet in taking action against those suspected of carrying out the bombings. Anger grew as information emerged that intelligence warnings about the attacks were not acted upon by security heads or the government of the time. The country's Supreme Court has since directed then president Maithripala Sirisena to pay compensation to the victims of the bombings for "ignoring actionable intelligence" that could have prevented the attacks. A trial was opened against 25 people accused of masterminding the attacks in 2021. However, with 23,000 charges filed against the men, lawyers involved in the case warned that the sheer number of charges and staggering witness list could mean the trial dragging on for years. The Catholic community led by Cardinal Ranjith has repeatedly alleged that the government at the time covered up investigations "to protect the brains behind the attacks". A 2023 investigation by Channel 4, which raised questions about links between the government, military and the group blamed for the attacks, also prompted public anger. It alleged that the attacks were allowed to happen for political power. Presidential elections held soon after the attacks saw Gotabaya Rajapaksa sweep to power, after campaigning on a national security platform. He made a statement in parliament denying all the allegations raised in the documentary. The issue gained new currency when Sri Lanka elected a new president and parliament in 2024. The newly-elected government has since alleged that the attacks were a conspiracy by a "certain group" to seize political power at the time. They have also reopened investigations into the attacks, with a report of a presidential inquiry commission officially handed over to the country's central investigative agency for further inquiry. "As a government, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that justice is served. Ongoing efforts to investigate the attacks and uncover all truths without obstruction or delay remain a top priority. Accountability, transparency, and genuine justice are essential to honoring the memory of the victims and restoring public trust," Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said in a statement to mark the anniversary. — BBC
Euronews
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
More than 100 Easter bombing victims in Sri Lanka named 'witnesses of faith' by Vatican
ADVERTISEMENT The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has said that the Vatican has recognised 167 of its members killed in the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings as witnesses of faith, a designation given to individuals who die for their religious beliefs. The attack was carried out by suicide bombers influenced by the Islamic State. The announcement was made during a vigil at St. Anthony's Church in Colombo, one of the sites attacked in the coordinated bombings. The vigil, attended by hundreds of people including religious leaders from Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities, marked the sixth anniversary of the deadly attacks that left more than 260 people dead, including 42 foreign nationals. Sri Lankan Catholics carry portraits of the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks during its sixth anniversary commemoration in Colombo, 21 April, 2025 AP Photo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, told attendees that Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, head of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, had added the names of the 167 Catholic victims to its official register. The Vatican acknowledged the victims for having died "due to violent opposition to their faith motivated by odium fidei — hatred of the faith." They have been entered "in the catalogue of the witnesses of the faith in its order book, considering the context of their heroism," Ranjith said. He added that seven victims of other faiths were also "respectfully remembered." The designation comes under a new category established by Pope Francis in 2023 for individuals killed while professing their Catholic faith. The Vatican created a special commission to document such cases, placing them alongside officially recognised martyrs who may one day be candidates for beatification or sainthood. Related Pope Francis reveals he was target of suicide bombing plot during 2021 Iraq visit Death toll in Pakistan suicide bombing rises to 54; police suspect Islamic State On 21 April 2019, Islamic State-inspired militants from the local extremist group National Thowheed Jamath carried out near-simultaneous suicide bombings at three churches — St. Anthony's in Colombo, St. Sebastian's in Negombo and Zion Church in Batticaloa — as well as three hotels in the capital. The Catholic Church has continued to demand a full investigation into the attacks. This includes renewed calls for transparency after a documentary last year aired an interview with a man claiming to have arranged a meeting between National Thowheed Jamath and a senior state intelligence official. The meeting allegedly involved plotting the attacks to instil fear and instability, ultimately benefiting then-presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
