It has become almost customary for major Christian Feast Days to become the target of terrorist attacks around the world.
One of the most violent in recent memory occurred today in Nigeria, though you would not know it from the websites and social media feeds of most Western politicians and news outlets, who appear to have decided that the story is irrelevant and unworthy of news coverage. This is despite the fact that the death toll is akin to that of Christchurch in New Zealand three years ago, evidently Catholics being massacred is simply a less relevant situation for Western journalists.
The attack occurred during Mass at St. Francis Xavier church in the city of Owo. The attackers, from a Muslim tribe, attacked the church after arriving on motorbikes, spraying bullets and murdering small children and women. There are some reports of explosions also.
Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Akeredolu said:
"I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St. Francis Catholic Church, today, the vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years."
Only three weeks ago, Christian student Deborah Yakubu was brutally murdered by Muslim men in Nigerian because she was believed to have disrespected Islam. They stoned her to death, burnt her body and filmed it. Most Western outlets flat out refused to carry the story, in all likelihood because they hate Christians to the core.
The situation highlights the fact that Christians are by far the most persecuted group within the world, suffering killings at Mass everywhere from France to Nigeria to Sri Lanka. Not to mention the arson attacks on Christians in even wealthy countries like Canada and the United States of America.
Christians must always maintain vigilance, the violent rhetoric against us can quickly turn to tragedy like this and those who demand that the church be removed from Western Society must always be reminded of where this rhetoric leads.
On this Feast of Pentecost, let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who, like those who lived through the first Pentecost, plant the seeds of the church with their blood.