Pope Francis was outraged by the "pointless slaughter" of four nuns at a Yemeni retirement home last Friday, and evangelical leaders from around the globe joined the pope in expressing their indignation at what happened.
Gunmen stormed the retirement home run by the nuns and killed 16 people, including the four Indian nuns from the Missionaries of Charity, which is an order established by Mother Teresa, according to CBN News. Aside from the nuns, those who lost their lives because of the attack were six Ethiopians, one Yemeni cook, and Yemeni guards.
The gunmen also abducted Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a native of India. His condition or location remains unknown.
Pope Francis called the slain nuns "modern-day martyrs" for giving their blood for the church.
Meanwhile, Southern Baptist Convention president Dr. Ronnie Floyd, the pastor of the Duggar family from "19 Kids and Counting," called on U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders to take action to stop those who are perpetrating such atrocious acts in the Middle East.
Floyd noted that there is an ongoing attempt at "genocide against religious minorities in the Middle East," adding, "I call upon the United States government and other world leaders to respond more forcefully and immediately to protect these terribly endangered people."
World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Bishop Efraim Tendero also expressed his concern about the worsening state of Christian persecution. He called on Christians to stand together "in the face of terror" so that global leaders will "recognise the existential threat against the world's Christian communities and other religious minorities."
"God forbid we look back at history and know we could have done more to keep so many innocent people from dying," he said. "Freedom of religion is a fundamental freedom and it is has never been under greater threat."
On the other hand, Dr. K.P. Yohannan of Believers Church India said even though the victims' deaths were tragic, their lives were not.
"They poured themselves out in service of the poor at great personal sacrifice," he said. "We thank God for their service and we are inspired by their testimony, their willingness to live - and even to die - for Christ."
