Cardinal Ranjith did not attend Sri Lanka's Independence Day Celebration

Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith did not attend the national Independence Day celebrations on February  4 due "to lack of religious freedom."

Cardinal Ranjith's decision was based on the grenade incident at the All Saints Church in Borella on January 11 and the failure to do justice to the Easter attack, said Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, the editor of Colombo Catholic Press.

Earlier on February 3, Father Fernando addressed a media briefing at the archbishop's official residence in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

The decision is "because a bomb had been planted in the church and innocent people were being tortured," he said.

A grenade was discovered at All Saints Church on January, three days before Catholics in Sri Lanka marked the 1,000th day since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

A caretaker of the church has been arrested in connection with the incident. Later a retired doctor was also arrested.

Although Catholic religious services are held at the All Saints' Church in Borella under the patronage of Cardinal Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo did not participate in the state ceremony but sent his representatives to attend the celebration.

Father Fernando said Sri Lankan churches held a special mass on the nation's Independence Day services as during previous years.

Father Fernando noted that Cardinal Ranjith did not join the special occasion mass at All Saints Church in Borella.

The priest further said that he would pray on Independence Day "for a revolution in thinking and a change in attitudes that would allow them to reflect on the wrong decisions taken by those who ruled the country in the past."

Cardinal Ranjith has been critical of the government over the investigations into the bombings, which he claims did not reveal the real conspiracy.

He has also hinted that the grenade incident at the church could be politically motivated. He said there was no attempt by the police to uncover the truth behind the incident.

The Sri Lankan government has announced that all arrangements were made to celebrate the 74th Independence Day with the president, prime minister and other national dignitaries, religious leaders and foreign ambassadors expected to be present at the official ceremony.

The country was under British rule from 1815 and gained independence on February  4, 1948. The national flag is hoisted at all government and private institutions along with people's homes. The day is also a national holiday.

The government hosted a vigil service on February  2 with the participation of Buddhist monks to mark Independence Day.

With inputs from UCA News.