A Church almost «asphyxiated» by a regime that prevents even tourists from entering the country with a Bible; beheaded, with four bishops out of ten living in exile, systematically silenced. A martyred Church, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world. Yet a Church that remains alive, as evidenced by, for example, the recent ordination of eight priests in the Managua cathedral. The Church in Nicaragua experienced another «closed-door» Christmas yesterday, without the possibility of expressing its joy and faith outside the temples, in the streets, in the squares, with visible signs in their homes.
This has been happening for years, since repression, which began in 2018 following the large popular protests, has intensified.
The Gospel remains alive. Similarly, a few weeks ago, the celebration of La Purísima, with that title venerated in Nicaragua to María Inmaculada, patron saint of the country, was marked by the oppressive surveillance of the police and the structures of the CPC (Citizen Power Councils), who visited unmarked home altars, taking photos and recording the names of families. This intrusion generated fear and censorship in one of the country’s most deeply rooted religious traditions. Many opposition families avoided displaying symbols such as the blue and white flags (the colors of the opposition) or signs of devotion, replacing them with less conspicuous colored flowers.
In Nicaragua, the Catholic Church is experiencing another Christmas under persecution: masses monitored, processions prohibited, priests in exile, and Bibles banned.
**Israel González Espinoza**, a Nicaraguan journalist exiled in Spain, tells SIR: «The degree of religious persecution being developed by the Ortega regime borders on paranoia. Not only is the entry of books and newspapers prohibited, but now the Bible is also prohibited in the country, as if it were a «subversive» reading. In reality, if one reads the Sacred Scripture well, one can see that the word of God always illuminates and frees consciences. A year ago, Pope Francis affirmed in a letter to the people of Nicaragua that conscience is «the intimacy of our heart, where the freedom of the sons and daughters of God resides, and no one can take it from us».
Although the Ortega regime continues its religious persecution and its systematic violation of all human rights in the country, the Gospel and the life of the Church in Nicaragua will continue, because martyrdom and persecution are always seeds of new Christians.”
Another Christmas in pursuit. Martha Patricia Molina, a lawyer and activist, has been meticulously keeping a “record” of the persecution suffered by the Catholic Church and other Christian churches for years. The report she has prepared, titled “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” is now in its seventh edition. “The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship —Molina commented in recent days, referring to the most recent episodes— continues to persecute everything related to religious freedom in Nicaragua.” Monitored Masses, Christmas recitations prohibited, priests persecuted and threatened, robberies in parishes, threats to ensure that no one (including lay people) reports.
(Minors) summoned or “visited” at their homes to sign documents without having read them beforehand.
304 (bishops, priests, seminarians, deacons, and nuns) are no longer exercising their pastoral mission in Nicaragua and, this December, three Nicaraguan priests who were abroad have been informed that they have been denied permission to enter their country.
The list of grievances and aggressions against the Catholic Church is endless.
Last August, the activist presented the latest edition of his report, in which he spoke of 1010 direct attacks against the Church, the theft of at least 36 properties, and the prohibition of 16,564 processions since April 2018.
In recent months, new attacks have occurred, although in smaller numbers than in previous years. However, these figures should not lead one to think that the regime has relaxed the pressure, but rather that the Church is now extremely weak and exhausted, due to relentless repression.
“Faced with the power of the oppressor —stated Msgr. Silvio José Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua, exiled in Miami, during Mass on December 21—, faced with which we often feel powerless, we must not fall into despair, thinking that everything is useless and that there is nothing to do.”
Bruno Desideria
Agency Sir / Religion Digital
English version translated with AI