Barely 24 hours after the devastation of their church, members of the St. Theresa\u2019s Catholic Church, Madalla, near Abuja, yesterday summoned the courage to hold a mass for the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n But there was outrage over the bombings, which the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, said it carried out. No fewer than 25 people died in the Christmas Day incident.<\/span><\/p>\n The Catholic Arch-Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Onaiyekan, asked Boko Harm members to learn to live peacefully with other Nigerians or move to Somalia and Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\n Some Muslim leaders from Suleija Emirate met with the representative of the Pope in Nigeria, Arch-Bishop Augustine Kasujja, the Bishop of Minna Diocese, Mathew Uzoukwu.<\/span><\/p>\n Members of the congregation trooped out as early as 6am to pray for the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n Although the church was filled to the brim as at 9am, the mass could not start until about 11.22am.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The mass was devoted to a celebration of martyrdom of those who died in the Christmas Day explosions and to seek forgiveness for the perpetrators of the bombings.<\/span><\/p>\n The mass was attended by the Catholic Arch-Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Onaiyekan; the Papal Nuncio, Bishop Augustine Kasujja, and the Bishop of Minna Diocese, Mathew Uzoukwu, among other top Catholic clerics.<\/span><\/p>\n The officiating cleric, Bishop Uzoukwu, likened the killing of some members of St. Theresa\u2019s Catholic Church to the travails of Saint Stephen, the first martyr in Christendom to die for his faith.<\/span><\/p>\n Quoting copiously from the Acts of Apostle, Chapter 7, he asked members to accept the fact that \u201cthose killed were martyrs of faith; they have not died in vain\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs they were stoning Stephen, said the cleric, he \u201ccalled upon God: \u2018Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.\u201d And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, \u2018Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.\u2019 And when he had said this, he fell asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe should celebrate these martyrs of faith and forgive those who perpetrated these dastardly acts. We have lost many parishioners, but we should not lose our faith in the Lord.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLet us be stronger and be committed to the Lord at this trying period.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Amid emotions, Rev. Uzoukwu also inspired the parishioners with quotes from Mathew.<\/span><\/p>\n Bishop Kasujja, a Ugandan, delivered Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s condolence message.<\/span><\/p>\n The message reads in part: \u201cI wish to express my solidarity with those who have been hit by this absurd act and invite prayers for the many victims. Violence is a way that leads only to pain, destruction and death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The congregation later retired into a session of prayers.<\/span><\/p>\n In a chat with reporters after the mass, Bishop Onaiyekan, a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said: \u201cWe are calling for the evacuation of those in critical condition. They should be taken abroad for treatment. It is a pity that we still live in a society where we take those in critical condition abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n