In a shocking act of sacrilege and violence, a Eucharistic adoration chapel in the Diocese of Tlaxcala, Mexico, was attacked in the early hours of Holy Saturday. Hooded assailants stormed the chapel in the town of San Lucas Cuauhtelulpan, assaulting and robbing the faithful present and stealing the ciborium containing the consecrated hosts.
Bishop Julio C. Salcedo Aquino, in an April 4 statement, confirmed the faithful were “threatened, beaten, and stripped of their belongings” while at prayer. He expressed profound sorrow for the victims’ physical and spiritual well-being, hoping they would soon regain their peace.
The bishop emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, “among the offenses committed against the Catholic faith, the theft of the Eucharist constitutes one of the most grave.” He reminded the faithful that such an act incurs automatic excommunication.
Drawing a poignant parallel to the events of the first Holy Saturday, Bishop Salcedo said the attack leads the Church of Tlaxcala to live in solidarity with Mary Magdalene, who found the tomb of Jesus empty and declared, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him.”
The bishop issued a call for intense prayer for the perpetrators, urging their conversion and the return of the stolen Eucharist. He also directed all parish priests in the diocese to organize “Days of Eucharistic Prayer” and announced he would perform a solemn rite of reparation at the Church of San Lucas Cuauhtelulpan on April 11.
