Myanmar/Burma: Soldiers raid Catholic cathedral, detain clergy

Apr 10th, 2022

Sacred Heart Cathedral in Mandalay, Myanmar Wiki Image

Source: CNA/BBC/NCR

Around 40 Burmese soldiers forced their way into the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Mandalay on Friday afternoon, where a Lenten prayer service was due to begin, several sources report. The soldiers also occupied offices in the cathedral complex, herding Archbishop Marco Tin Win and office staff into the cathedral and making them sit in the pews with worshippers.

One parishioner told reporters the solders kept demanding where gold, money and weapons were kept. The congregation was eventually allowed to leave after about three hours. About 30 soldiers then slept in the cathedral overnight.

CNA report that Archbishop Marco Win Tin, Vicar General Mgr Domenic Kyo Du and their staff, together with around 20 diocesan priests, are still being held in cathedral compound but have not been able to communicate with anyone.

Soldiers have since gone on to raid several mosques in the Tamil neighbourhood.

None of these events were reported on state-controlled media.

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