Pope denounces attacks on Christians in Nigeria, Philippines

By AFP

Pope Benedict XVI deplored Sunday the "absurd violence" against Christians after attacks on churches in Nigeria and the Philippines over the Christmas holiday.

"It was with great sadness that I learnt about the attack on a Catholic Church in the Philippines during the celebrations for Christmas and also against Christian churches in Nigeria," the pope.

"The earth is once again stained with blood as we have seen in other parts of the world," Benedict added in his Angelus address at The Vatican, as he offered his condolences to the victims of the "absurd violence".

At least 32 people were killed and 74 wounded after a series of Christmas Eve bomb blasts in the troubled Nigerian city of Jos on Friday evening. Many of the victims were doing their Christmas shopping at the time and a church was also targeted.

On the same night, suspected members of an Islamist sect that launched an uprising last year attacked three churches in northern Nigeria, leaving six people dead and one of the churches burnt.

Six people were also wounded on Saturday when a bomb went off in a church during Christmas Day mass on the southern Philippine island of Jolo which is known as a hotbed of Islamic extremism.