Catholic Church in Nicaragua

The Latest

Bishop Rolando Álvarez.

Who is Rolando Álvarez, the bishop persecuted by the Nicaraguan dictatorship?

Oct 3, 2024

By Eduardo Berdejo

Bishop Rolando Álvarez Lagos is once again in the news after Pope Francis appointed him to participate in the second... Read more

Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matalgalpa, Nicaragua.

Bishop Álvarez chosen by Pope Francis to participate in Synod on Synodality

Sep 17, 2024

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Rolando Álvarez is slated to be among the participants in the second and last session of the... Read more

The freed prisoners included Catholic laypeople, 13 individuals associated with the Texas-based evangelical group Mountain Gateway, and human rights activists.

Nicaragua releases 135 political, religious prisoners; many still remain in custody

Sep 5, 2024

By Tyler Arnold

Nicaraguan authorities released 135 political and religious prisoners following international pressure, but many critics of the government still remain behind... Read more

"What the dictatorship is doing is suffocating, more and more, the Catholic Church," says lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina.

Ortega dictatorship in Nicaragua deports group of foreign priests and nuns

Sep 4, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina has reported that the dictatorship in Nicaragua has deported a group of foreign priests... Read more

The Metropolitan Cathedral Santiago Apóstol and the National Palace in Managua, Nicaragua

Nicaraguan dictatorship shuts down more nonprofit Catholic organizations, evangelical churches

Aug 30, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The closure of the organizations was announced Aug. 29 through the official government newspaper La Gaceta. Read more

The Insurance Fund for Priests Association is one of the 1,500 nongovernmental organizations whose legal status was canceled this month by the dictatorship.

Dictatorship in Nicaragua eliminates priests’ retirement fund

Aug 28, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

In yet another move to undermine the Catholic Church, the Ortega dictatorship in Nicaragua has eliminated and confiscated a retirement... Read more

“To the beloved people of Nicaragua: I encourage you to renew your hope in Jesus. Remember that the Holy Spirit always guides history toward higher designs,” Pope Francis said at the end of this Angelus address on Aug. 25, 2024.

Pope Francis prays for people of Nicaragua: ‘Renew your hope in Jesus’

Aug 25, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The pope entrusted Nicaragua to the protection and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Read more

Matagalpa, Nicaragua.

Nicaraguan dictatorship eliminates tax exemptions for Catholic and evangelical churches

Aug 23, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina considers the measure a “fiscal blow” that will end up “financially suffocating the Church.” Read more

“We cannot remain silent while this dictator closes [1,500] NGOs, suffocating civil society and violating the rights of thousands of citizens,” said Felix Maradiaga, shown here during an interview with AFP in Managua on Feb. 11, 2021.

Ortega dictatorship in Nicaragua shuts down 1,500 nonprofits and exiles two more priests

Aug 20, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega has canceled the legal status of 1,500 non-profit organizations, including Caritas of Granada. Read more

Bishop Rolando Álvarez.

870 attacks against the Catholic Church reported in Nicaragua since 2018

Aug 16, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

On Aug. 13, the human rights watchdog group “Nicaragua Never Again” presented its fourth bulletin on religious freedom covering April... Read more

Emilio Blasco, director of the Center for Global Affairs at the University of Navarra in Spain, says Daniel Ortega persecutes the Catholic Church because “he perceives it as a stronghold of opposition, of people who think for themselves and that he cannot dominate as he dominates other sectors of society.”

Experts explain why dictatorship in Nicaragua abducts and exiles priests

Aug 13, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The campaign against the Catholic Church dates back to 2018, when Church leaders expressed support for the people who were... Read more

Father Denis Martínez-García, was arrested on his way to celebrate Mass in Matagalpa, pictured here.

Dictatorship in Nicaragua arrests two more priests and two laywomen

Aug 12, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The priests and laywomen are from Estelí and Matagalpa, both dioceses officially led by Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who has been... Read more

The Governatorato (Vatican City State Administration) building in the Vatican.

Dictatorship in Nicaragua: 7 priests left the country and arrived ‘safely’ at the Vatican

Aug 9, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

Rosario Murillo, vice president of Nicaragua, announced that seven priests left the Central American country and have arrived “safely” at... Read more

Friar Silvio Romero from the Diocese of Juigalpa and Father Frutos Constantino Valle Salmerón from the Diocese of Estelí are among the detained priests.

At least 9 priests abducted by Nicaraguan dictatorship in last 2 weeks

Aug 7, 2024

By Diego López Colín

These priests “remain under total surveillance” by the National Police, lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina reported. Read more

Last year, the Holy See appointed Father Valle as executor ad omnia of the Diocese of Estelí, allowing him to carry out all ordinary functions of pastoral governance, except those reserved to a bishop.

Prominent priest reportedly abducted by dictatorship in Nicaragua

Jul 30, 2024

By Diego López Colín

In a July 29 statement to ACI Prensa, lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina said that Father Frutos Constantino Valle... Read more

One priest and seven deacons were ordained July 20 in the Matagalpa cathedral by the president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference.

First ordinations take place in Nicaraguan diocese since exile of Bishop Álvarez

Jul 22, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

One priest and seven deacons were ordained July 20 by the president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference in the Matagalpa... Read more

Daniel Ortega.

Radio María in Nicaragua shut down by country’s dictatorship 

Jul 10, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The decision was detailed in a ministerial agreement signed by the ministry of the interior and published July 9 in... Read more

Eleven Christian leaders were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $880 million on March 19, 2024, by the dictatorship in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua dictatorship sentences 11 Christian leaders to prison, fines them $880 million

Apr 8, 2024

By Walter Sánchez Silva

The trial took place in wake of the leaders’ success in bringing together thousands of people to pray in public... Read more