By Charles Igwe
In a significant development, the Vatican has given its consent to initiate the beatification process for the 35 Catholic martyrs of Kandhamal, who tragically lost their lives during the 2008 Christian persecution in the remote jungle district of eastern Odisha state, India.
On October 25, the Catholic Church in India publicly disclosed the “nihil obstat” from the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, which was received on October 18, marking the commencement of the beatification process for the Servant of God Kantheswar Digal and his companions, the martyrs of Kandhamal. This decision was communicated by Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the apostolic nuncio to India.
Archbishop John Barwa of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, which encompasses Kandhamal, expressed his elation, describing it as a historic moment for the Church in India. He stated, “Now the archdiocesan council will meet to decide the date and plans for officially initiating the process. Since it is a large group of nearly three dozen, we need to plan out everything meticulously.”
The Kandhamal district, situated 150-250 miles southwest of the Odisha capital, Bhubaneswar, was the epicenter of one of the most severe anti-Christian violence episodes in recent history. This turmoil erupted in August 2008 following the mysterious murder of Hindu nationalist monk Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in his hermitage in Kandhamal. The murder was swiftly labeled a “Christian conspiracy” by Hindu nationalist groups, leading to widespread calls for retribution against Christians.
Hindu nationalist organizations imposed a ban on Christianity in Kandhamal, and Christians were coerced to renounce their faith in Christ within Hindu temples. Courageous Christians who resisted these orders faced brutal fates, including being burned alive, buried alive, or dismembered. The violence claimed the lives of nearly 100 Christians, with more than 300 churches and 6,000 homes being looted, leaving 56,000 people homeless.
Father Purushottam Nayak, who diligently compiled the list of martyrs beginning in 2018, recounted his visits to the homes of these martyrs scattered across jungle villages. He explained, “Among them, there were only 36 Catholics, and the Vatican dicastery has approved the beatification process for 35 of them. Among them, 14 were killed on the spot while others died of injuries.”
Father Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary-general of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), which comprises 133 Latin-rite dioceses in India, emphasized the historic nature of this development. The martyrdom of these Christians in the Kandhamal jungles has, in his words, “turned it into the holy land of India.”
The Vatican dicastery’s “nihil obstat” mentions the name “Kantheswar Digal” among the 35 Catholic martyrs for his outstanding witness. Kantheswar Digal, a catechist of Shankarakole, refused to participate in a “reconversion gathering” where Christians were compelled to burn Bibles, shortly before the murder of the Hindu swami. Tragically, he was pulled off a bus on his way to safety and, along with a Christian couple, Meghnath Digal and his wife Priatama, lost his life. Priatama was also subjected to a horrifying gang rape.
Among the martyrs is Father Bernard Digal, who was the procurator of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese and had journeyed to Kandhamal to oversee the construction of a new church.
