Seven young people in Mexico were fatally shot by gangsters while attending a Catholic festival in the state of Guanajuato.
On Monday morning a group of gunmen, believed to be from the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel drove into the middle of town and started shooting, apparently at random.
According to the BBC, cartel attacks on nightclubs and bars are common, however attacks on Catholic events are considered unusual. Despite this, religious liberty organisations have noted that Mexico is increasingly becoming a country of concern.
Open Doors placed Mexico at 31 on its 2025 watch list of the worst countries for persecution, ahead of some Islamic and communist states - Egypt is at 40, while Vietnam is at 44 - and up six places from its previous position, indicating a worsening situation.
While on the face of it a Christian country, the scourge of gang violence means that many ordinary citizens regardless of their faith can be the targets of gang violence. Faith leaders who openly oppose the gangs face the real danger of abduction and or murder.
The Episcopal Conference of Mexico said of Monday’s shooting that people "cannot remain indifferent in the face of the spiral of violence that is wounding so many communities".
The local archbishop, Jaime Calderón, said he believed the attack was part of a gang war between Santa Rosa de Lima and a rival cartel known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Witnesses claim that the attack involved hundreds of shots over the course of a few minutes. Of the seven fatalities, two of the dead where under 18.
Open Doors suggests the following prayer for the situation in Mexico:
“Heavenly Father, thank You for our brothers and sisters in Mexico, and for their courage in standing up to the violence and crime that is so rife in the country. Strengthen them and fill them with Your Holy Spirit; give them the right words to say as they continue to stand against injustice.
“Protect believers from being recruited by criminal gangs and bring an end to the hold that these groups have over the nation. Help believers from indigenous backgrounds to find safe places to meet and worship – may their testimonies shine Your light in dark places, Amen.”
