Myanmar: bishops call for quiet Christmas celebration
December 17, 2021
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CWN Editor's Note: The Catholic bishops of Myanmar are encouraging the faithful to observe Christmas in the liturgy and acts of charity, rather than public celebrations, as their nation continues to suffer under violence and oppression.
“Since many people in Myanmar today cry bitter tears, we will also be in solidarity with them,” wrote Bishop Alexander Pyone Cho. He discouraged outdoor events, parties, and unnecessary purchases, instead asking the faithful to provide help “for people who have fled their homes, have found shelter in the forests, and are suffering, due to the military persecution in Myanmar.”
In areas where Christians form a majority, such as the states of Kayah and Chin, an estimated 200,000 people are living in the forests or in refugee camps, having been driven from their homes by fighting. The government’s troops have targeted Christian villages—and sometimes churches in particular—because of fears that they support resistance against the military junta.
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