In an act of solidarity and spiritual unity, the bishops of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, gathered in the Assembly of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America (SEDAC), have announced a day of prayer for the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. With the motto “We shout with Nicaragua”, inspired by the biblical passage “If one member suffers, we all suffer with him”, the prelates expressed their “deep solidarity and communion with the people of God in Nicaragua.”
In the statement signed by the president of SEDAC, Mons. Héctor David García Osorio, bishop of Yoro (Honduras), and his secretary, Mons. José Antonio Canales, bishop of Danlí (Honduras), the Central American religious hierarchs highlighted that the Nicaraguan Church faces “a challenging reality” and called on the faithful of Central America to unite in prayer to accompany those who suffer.
The day will take place on December 8, during the festival of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a celebration deeply rooted in the Marian tradition of Nicaragua and popularly known as “La Gritería.” On this date, Nicaraguan Catholics raise their Marian devotion with the traditional cry: «Who causes so much joy? “The conception of Mary!”, an act that this year will also resonate in churches throughout Central America as a show of unity and support.
“We call on everyone to join in prayer with that cry of faith and hope, peace and freedom, which the faithful people address to their Mother and Patroness,” the bishops said in a statement. In addition, they invited that, in each diocese, vicariate, parish and community in the region, a special moment be dedicated to pray for the Nicaraguan Church, which has been a victim of reprisals, imprisonment and restrictions by the regime of Daniel Ortega y Rosario. Murillo.
The bishops emphasized that this day of prayer is an expression of “closeness and fraternal appreciation, so that no one feels alone.” From Panama to Guatemala, the cry for unity will spread throughout the region as a gesture of hope and spiritual commitment.
Persecution against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua has intensified in recent years, with measures such as the expulsion of the apostolic nuncio, the imprisonment of priests and the closure of religious institutions. In February 2023, the bishop of Matagalpa, Bishop Rolando Álvarez, was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison after an arbitrary trial, while other religious have been forced into exile. Additionally, the regime has confiscated Church property and banned public expressions of faith, in an attempt to silence its critical voice.
“When we pray to the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we will be uniting our hearts in the same cry,” the bishops concluded, reiterating their commitment to their Nicaraguan brothers and the desire for justice, peace and freedom in the region. The faithful are invited to unite in the same cry of faith and solidarity: “No one is alone.”
