Bishop Toppo suspects foul play in fire that devastates historic chapel
The Chapel of St Therese of the Child Jesus in the village of Chokragaon was set on fire, a few days after the ordination of two local priests. The authorities have opened an investigation. The bishop of Tezpur praises the "intense solidarity" and "unity" among Christians following the incident.
Delhi (AsiaNews) – On Wednesday an overnight fire devastated the Chapel of St Therese of the Child Jesus in Chokragaon, a village in the northeastern Indian state of Assam.
The authorities opened an investigation into the incident, while local Church leaders suspect foul play, Catholic Connect reported.
The fire broke out a few days after the priestly ordination of two local men, Fr Charles Murmu and Fr Lambert Ekka.
The chapel, which was 75 years old, was part of the parish of Ambagaon and was reduced to ashes, the secretary of the bishop of Tzepur, Fr Xavier Narzary, said.
A vibrant and active Catholic community that includes ethnic Santals, Bodos, Nepalis, and Adivasis inhabits the village.
“Although it is a village, our community is home to an impressive 160 Catholic families, from which many religious sisters and priests have emerged over the years,” Fr Narzary explained.
“The villagers will now be compelled to travel to their parish church or gather in one another’s homes to continue their prayers and spiritual gatherings,” he added.
Bishop Michael Akasius Toppo of Tezpur urged the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of such acts of violence.
For the prelate, attacks on places of worship not only damage physical structures, but also undermine the unity and fabric of the community.
Suspecting foul play, Fr Narzary suggests a link between the fire, which constitutes an unprecedented historic loss for the diocese, and the priestly ordinations in the village.
While the district administration and local police have launched their investigations into the incident, Christian organisations, like the Assam Christian Forum and the United Christian Forum of Udalguri, have expressed their solidarity to the villagers, asking for prayers and support as the community grapples with the loss of its "beloved place of worship."
Built in 1950, the chapel was not only a place for prayer, but also a cornerstone in the spiritual and cultural life of the community.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Bishop Toppo explained that "this chapel is located in a village built in 1950 with people and families of all denominations, living in peace and harmony. We don't know who or why, but the authorities told us that it was set on fire intentionally.”
Coincidentally, last Sunday, two local young men “were ordained into the priesthood and on Monday they celebrated their first Mass in the courtyard and nearly all the local villagers from all denominations came. The loss is more than 15 lakhs (1,500,000) rupees (US$ 17,325). Everything was burnt, roof, wooden windows, altar, crucifix, statues, etc.,” the prelate lamented.
“Today,” he added, “unity week begins in the Holy Jubilee Year. We are experiencing strong solidarity for ecumenical Christian unity due to the chapel fire, united in prayer, suffering, anguish and cooperation.”
Yet, sadly, “Attacks on places of worship not only damage the physical structures but also undermine the unity and fabric of the community.” For their part, “Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and investigations are going on.”
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