St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the principal church in the Diocese of Banmaw, has been reduced to ashes after being set on fire by Myanmar’s military forces, according to reports from Fides News Agency.
The destruction of the cathedral marks the latest in a series of attacks on religious sites amid intensifying conflict in Myanmar’s northern Kachin State.
“There is crying and despair in the diocese of Banmaw following the destruction of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, set on fire by the Myanmar army,” a local Catholic priest told Fides.
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, the priest described the devastation experienced by the faithful.
“I have seen many faithful cry and suffer. We can only take refuge in the Lord. In this time of Lent, people gather in prayer in the forest, the faithful celebrate the Stations of the Cross and hold processions in the mountains, and thus, with faith, they join in the suffering of Christ.”
The attack on the cathedral comes amid ongoing military offensives by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s armed forces, against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and other ethnic militias. The priest said the targeting of Catholic churches is not new and follows a disturbing pattern.
“Sometimes the pretext is that they are hiding places for the resistance forces. Other times, buildings are occupied by soldiers and then, once abandoned, they are destroyed out of pure contempt, leaving scorched earth behind,” he said.
“Tatmadaw soldiers are often young people without education or culture, recruited and manipulated by their commanders. They commit cruel acts and do not understand the gravity of their actions,” the priest added.
Kachin State, which borders China, is home to the Kachin ethnic minority, a population of approximately 1.7 million that has long sought autonomy.
The KIA, active for decades, has been a key participant in the armed resistance against Myanmar’s ruling military junta, which seized power in 2021.
The Catholic Church in the region is organized into two dioceses: Myitkyina, with around 100,000 faithful, and Banmaw, which has an estimated 40,000 Catholics.
The conflict has severely impacted the civilian population, with widespread displacement reported. According to the Fides source, “In the last two years, the conflict has affected nine of the thirteen parishes in the diocese, increasing the number of refugees.”
Many families, including a significant number of Catholics, are now living in refugee camps with limited access to education or employment, particularly among the youth.
In early March, another Catholic site in the diocese — the pastoral center of St. Michael Church in Nan Hlaing — was reportedly bombed and destroyed by the Burmese army.
The escalating violence has forced Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam of Banmaw to relocate to Leiza, a town near the Chinese border currently under the control of the Kachin armed forces.
Catholic missionary presence in Banmaw dates back to the mid-19th century, beginning with French missionaries who evangelized the predominantly animist Kachin population.
The Apostolic Prefecture of Banmaw was established in 1939 and was later incorporated into the Diocese of Myitkyina. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI created the Diocese of Banmaw, appointing Monsignor Raymond Sumlut Gam as its first bishop.
“We can only take refuge in the Lord,” the priest said, as worshippers gather in forests and mountains to pray amid the violence.
