IN NIGER: Catholic Churches, Schools, Agencies Shuttered Against Muslim Violence

Niger’s Catholic bishops have called for Masses to be cancelled and Catholic organizations to be closed, in the wake of Muslim attacks against churches.

More than 40 Catholic churches have been burned and at least eight people killed, as angry Muslims protest the depiction of the prophet Mohammad on the cover of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo.  The violence has prompted Niger’s three Catholic bishops to order the cancellation of Masses and the closure of Catholic churches, schools, health care institutions, orphanages and charity outreaches.  Hundreds of Christians have fled to a military base for protection.

The Tablet reports that Bishops Laurent Lompo, Abroise Ouedraogo and Michel Cartatéguy issued a joint statement, saying that suspending activities will allow them to pray and calmly consider

“the painful events that we have had recently.  We cordially thank all those who have expressed their solidarity at this difficult time.”

 Archbishop Michel Cartatéguy of Niamey told Vatican Radio that

“The Christian community in Niger is still in a state of shock: Almost all the churches [of the diocese], 12 to 14 of them, were completely plundered. Nothing remains, they were totally burned… Only the cathedral is still standing.”

The distribution of millions of Charlie Hebdo‘s first issue since the Paris attack  has convinced Muslims in Niger that Christians in the West are responsible for blasphemy against their prophet.  According to Archbishop Cartatéguy,

“Now there are people running throughout the streets asking, ‘Are you Allah is great or Alleluia?’ This means they are looking for Christians.”

Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou has appealed for calm, but the protests in his country continue unabated.