Christians demand August 25 as "martyrs day"

The August violence on Christians in Orissa might soon be observed as "Indian Christian martyrs day" to honor those killed in the mayhem.

On Nov.9, about 200 members of the Madhya Pradesh Iai Magasangh met in the capital of Bhopal to review the status of Christians in India.

In their resolution they demanded that declaring Aug.25 as Indian Christian martys day would help the Church remember the suffering and sacrifices of the Orissa Christians.

Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal welcomed the group's suggestion and said the Orissa victims' "supreme sacrifice is admirable."

The archbishop said he would take up the matter with the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India. Such a move, he said, would be "a very unique case" in Indian Church history.

Cornelio also praised the Christians in Orissa state who preferred death than giving up their faith. Such sacrifice disproved the allegation that missioners converted people through allurement, force and other illegal means, he said.

History shows the Church has grown wherever it met with persecution, Cornelio told UCA News on Nov. 12. He maintained the Orissa violence was extremists' attempt to wipe out Christians and Christianity from Orissa. In this test, "our people" emerged "winners" by shedding their blood, which "made us all proud," he added.

The people died in the violence are yet to affirmed. While Church people claim it to be 60, some independent fact-finding groups hinted it might be over 500.The attacks since August 23 have forced thousands to flee to forests and take shelter in relief camps.