A newly built church on the site where a Christian teacher was burnt alive during the 2008 anti-Christian violence rekindled hope and faith among Christians in the Kandhamal district of Odisha, eastern India, on May 26.
“It gives me great courage and hope that God has never abandoned us. A firm faith in Jesus has been rebuilt in the lives of hundreds of people,” said Benansio Pradhan (Bhagaban), the touring catechist of Padangi Parish who oversees the Gudrikia substation.
“We waited 17 long years to come closer to our church, where our dear Christian teacher was burnt alive during the brutal anti-Christian violence of 2007-2008,” he added.
The tragic incident occurred during the 2008 violence when Mathew Nayak, a government school teacher from Udayagiri and a member of the Church of North India (CNI), was captured by a mob.
Armed with lethal weapons, they dragged him toward the then Archangel Michael Catholic Church in Gudrikia, poured kerosene on him, and set him ablaze.
On May 26, 2025, over 500 faithful—including 14 Catholic priests and seven nuns—gathered to witness the inauguration of the new Archangel Michael Church at the very site of the horrific incident.
"The perpetrators had planned to eliminate Christians from this region, but they failed before God's mighty hand,” said Archbishop John Barwa, SVD, of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, in his homily. “We thank God for this new church—a house of blessings, unity, love, and fraternity. Let us remain firm in our faith and witness God's love through our daily lives. May Archangel Michael intercede for us in every difficulty.”
A new church beside the ruins of the old one, the site of Mathew Nayak's martyrdom, was built.
The project was spearheaded by Fr. Sebastian Thottamkara, CM, parish priest of Padangi, under whose initiative the church was completed.
“The faith of the people has revived since the 2008 violence. Volunteers from the community actively and enthusiastically contributed to the construction of this new church. Communal violence has not silenced the faithful in proclaiming and witnessing Jesus in their lives,” Fr. Thottamkara noted.
The Padangi Parish, originally founded as a mission by the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS) before 1924, is now managed by the Congregation of the Mission (CM).
The parish includes 11 substations, with about 400 Catholic families. Gudrikia is one of these substations, home to 45 Catholic families surrounded by a predominantly Hindu population.
The church inauguration was marked by a vibrant celebration of faith with singing, dancing, and joyful participation from children, youth, priests, nuns, and lay faithful—symbolizing resilience, reconciliation, and renewed hope.
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