The Church of Mexico has urged government authorities to implement effective measures to ensure the safety of priests and pastoral agents, especially in high-risk areas. This call was made by Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez of San Cristóbal de las Casas. He also emphasized the need to combat violence and impunity in Chiapas and the country as a whole.
The recent murder of Father Marcelo Peréz Peréz has heightened the Church’s concerns about the ongoing violence in Chiapas. The apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez noted that the investigation is ongoing, with no official results yet. He mentioned the arrest of the alleged murderer but expressed doubts about the detainee’s identity based on witness accounts.
Bishop Aguilar Martínez expressed hope that the Attorney General of the Republic’s involvement in the case would lead to a thorough investigation. He also shared that Pope Francis, during the Angelus prayer, expressed his solidarity with the diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas and the entire ecclesiastical province of Chiapas, mourning the death of Father Marcelo. The Pope encouraged the faithful to view Father Marcelo’s sacrifice as a seed of peace and Christian life.
Relic of Saint Jude Thaddeus
This Sunday, the relic of Saint Jude Thaddeus arrived at the Cathedral of San Marcos in Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The relic’s visit is part of an itinerary through the archdiocese and the dioceses of Tapachula and San Cristóbal de las Casas. Faithful from the city and nearby municipalities gathered at the Cathedral of San Marcos to venerate the relic, which is seen as a sign of hope for the ecclesiastical province of Chiapas.
The relic, a piece of bone attributed to the apostle, is housed in a polychrome wooden carving shaped like a hand with three fingers pointing upwards as a sign of blessing. It arrived in the province on October 23 and will continue its journey in the archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutiérrez from October 26 to November 2, before moving to the diocese of Tapachula. The journey will conclude on November 7 when the relic is delivered to the diocese of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca.
Source: El Universal
