In a pastoral message addressing the tragedy, Bishop Théophile Nare of the Burkinabe Diocese, which covers Barsalgho town, also declared Wednesday, August 28 a day of mourning following the attack.
In the letter, Bishop Nare further urged the faithful to participate in the Way of the Cross as a sign of repentance at the end of the mourning day.
“I ask you to observe Wednesday, August 28th, as a Diocesan day of mourning for our dead, whether they are Christians or of other religious affiliations,” Bishop Nare says in the statement shared with ACI Africa on Tuesday, August 27.
He adds, “From Thursday, August 29, to Saturday, August 31, a Triduum of prayer (Mass, Eucharistic adoration, communal rosary) will be held to implore the grace of conversion of hearts and for the reparation of all assaults on human life, all the innocent bloodshed like water by men.”
The August 24 terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of 22 Christians, is the third such incident this month and one of the bloodiest in the history of Burkina Faso. The West African nation has been grappling with Islamist terrorism since 2015.
Various media reports indicate that residents of Barsalogho, a community about 30 km north of Kaya, the capital of the Centre-Nord region, were digging defensive trenches to protect themselves from terrorist attacks when more than 100 jihadists arrived on motorcycles and began firing automatic weapons at both civilians and soldiers. The victims reportedly include women, children, and the elderly.
According to the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, a Catholic charity foundation that supports the suffering Church all over the world, the number of dead was so high that it was not possible to bury all the victims over the past three days.
In his August 25 statement, Bishop Nare says, “This tragedy affects us all deeply, especially since many of us have lost close relatives among the victims and the wounded.”
He also emphasizes the need for reflection and action in the aftermath of the attack. He says, “We must speak (to God and each other) and act so that, with God's help, this may never happen again.”
The 58-year-old Burkinabe Catholic Bishop implores in the statement dated Sunday, August 25, “May the souls of all our deceased rest in peace through the mercy of God. May God be gracious and bless us; may His face shine upon us.”