11-11-2008, 08:11 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Jesus statue desecrated at a church in Chennai
TAMIL Nadu continued to reel under anti- Christian violence as an imposing statue of Jesus at the historic St Thomas Mount in Chennai was found desecrated, while a cemetery was vandalised in Dindigul.
The statue of Jesus was found damaged on Friday and the police were alerted about the incident. The heart with a cross was removed from the 10- ft statue placed on a 20- ft pedestal atop a hillock. The fingers on the right hand were mutilated, said parish priest Fr Bosco.
A popular pilgrim centre, the mount is of much significance since it is believed to be the place where St Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, was martyred by local Brahmins during the beginning of the Christian era. The desecrated statue stands close to the chapel, housing the cave where the saint was killed.
â We have lodged a complaint with the police but no action has been taken, except deployment of security,â Fr Bosco added. The police, however, said investigations were on.
In Dindigul, about 400 km from Chennai, a catholic cemetery was vandalised by miscreants. Crosses were uprooted and broken at the graveyard in the Thomayarpuram area.
Tamil Nadu has seen an increase in attacks against Christian institutions and symbols in the last few months, since the ransacking of a prayer hall and the thrashing of a pastor at Paramathi Velur in August.
http://www.mailtoday.in/showstory.aspx?que...02008%2012:00AM<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
www.hamsa.org
TAMIL Nadu continued to reel under anti- Christian violence as an imposing statue of Jesus at the historic St Thomas Mount in Chennai was found desecrated, while a cemetery was vandalised in Dindigul.
The statue of Jesus was found damaged on Friday and the police were alerted about the incident. The heart with a cross was removed from the 10- ft statue placed on a 20- ft pedestal atop a hillock. The fingers on the right hand were mutilated, said parish priest Fr Bosco.
A popular pilgrim centre, the mount is of much significance since it is believed to be the place where St Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, was martyred by local Brahmins during the beginning of the Christian era. The desecrated statue stands close to the chapel, housing the cave where the saint was killed.
â We have lodged a complaint with the police but no action has been taken, except deployment of security,â Fr Bosco added. The police, however, said investigations were on.
In Dindigul, about 400 km from Chennai, a catholic cemetery was vandalised by miscreants. Crosses were uprooted and broken at the graveyard in the Thomayarpuram area.
Tamil Nadu has seen an increase in attacks against Christian institutions and symbols in the last few months, since the ransacking of a prayer hall and the thrashing of a pastor at Paramathi Velur in August.
http://www.mailtoday.in/showstory.aspx?que...02008%2012:00AM<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
www.hamsa.org