Lanka's Catholic schools likely to reopen next week, mass services to resume from Sunday

Sri Lanka's Catholic Church on Thursday announced that all Catholic schools are likely to reopen next week, while mass services would resume from Sunday depending on the country's security situation after the Easter bombings that killed 258 people.

The schools were shutdown and public mass services were suspended following fears of a repeat of the April 21 attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels here.

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malclom Ranjith in a press conference said that Catholic private schools might be opened on May 14. However, these schools would be closed till Vesak Holidays if there are fresh threats.

"We are hoping to open the schools on May 14. The decision is still not final as we continue to observe the country's security situation. We want to be absolutely sure before we open our schools because we don't want even a single child to suffer as a result of any unwanted attacks," Cardinal Ranjith said after a meeting between the country's 12 bishops and President Maithripala Sirisena.

Vesak, the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world and this year it was expected to be observed from May 17 to 21.

However, the Sri Lankan government has restricted the five-day national Vesak festival celebrations to just two days citing the prevailing security situation in the country following the massive Easter Sunday bombings.

Ranjith also said regular Sunday services would resume at all Catholic churches in Colombo from Sunday.

"Sunday Mass will be held at the Archdiocese of Colombo from this Sunday," he said.

However, the Bishops of other dioceses will have to take a decision on recommencing Sunday Mass in their own dioceses this Sunday after consulting the respective security officials in their areas, he said.

Meanwhile, a special prayer service and holy mass for the blast victims were held in the evening at the St Sebastian's Church in Negombo where over 100 people were killed in the attack.

The service was held at the outdoor enclosure of the church as the blast devastated prayer house is currently being rebuilt.

Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 258 people and injuring over 500 others.

Following the attack, the authorities closed all the schools until further notice.

All government schools were reopened on Monday, but attendance has been low despite new security measures.

The government has blamed a local group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ), for the bombings. Islamic State claimed responsibility and the bombers filmed themselves making a pledge of allegiance to the group before the attacks.