On April 21, 2019. At that time, eight suicide bombers carried out attacks on two Catholic churches, a Protestant church, and three luxury hotels, killing a total of 269 people and injuring more than 500 of whom 171 were Catholic. Based on a petition from 50,000 faithful, the Archdiocese of Colombo will now forward the official request to the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints to begin the diocesan phase of the beatification process.