Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 2, 2019 / 13:09 pm America/Denver (CNA).
Following terrorist attacks and ongoing threats to safety, Masses will be suspended in the Archdiocese of Colombo for a second week, Catholic leaders have said.
Fr. Edmund Tillakaratne, a spokesperson for the archdiocese, told journalists Thursday that Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had decided to suspend weekend Masses for a second weekend, according to the AP.
Two weekends ago, on Easter Sunday, bombs detonated at two Catholic churches, an evangelical church, three hotels, and a private residence, killing at least 257 people and injuring at least 500 others. Of the injured, 47 are still hospitalized for their injuries, the AP reported.
Last weekend, Cardinal Ranjith celebrated a televised Mass at his residence in lieu of the cancelled public Masses. A funeral service was held April 23 for many of the victims of the attacks.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and Sri Lankan officials believe that nine suicide bombers were involved in the attacks, according to the AP. Multiple arrests have also been made as officials search for additional suspects connected to the attacks, but officials have warned that some suspects are still at large.