Catholics from all over the world joined in prayer on 16 July, Sunday, the day of the Virgen del Carmen, for the freedom of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, unjustly imprisoned by the Nicaraguan dictatorship. It was organized by the call on social networks.
The Bishop of Matagalpa was sentenced in February to 26 years and 4 months in prison, accused by the regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo of “treason against the country.”
In recent days, the Prelate had left the torture prison “La Modelo” and there was speculation about his departure from the country. However, the negotiations failed and he was returned to prison on July 5.
One of those who joined the day of prayer for the also Apostolic Administrator of Estelí was Bishop Silvio Báez, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, who from exile in the United States prayed for Bishop Rolando Álvarez.
In the Sunday Mass that he celebrated in the Santa Agatha Church in Miami, the Nicaraguan Prelate expressed: “Today begins the world day of prayer for a successor of the Apostles, who is unjustly deprived of his freedom, Msgr. Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, brother Nicaraguan bishop, from Matagalpa, victim of the bloody and cruel murderous Sandinista dictatorship of Nicaragua .”
“I want us at this moment to join all the people who are praying on social networks, in the little altars they made in their homes, in different parishes and chapels and in places of prayer. This is like sowing and now what we are going to sow is our faith, we are going to sow in the heart of God our prayer asking for this brother of ours, bishop, successor of the Apostles, who suffers injustice as an innocent victim for being a prophet of God”, continued the Prelate.
“Today we want to entrust into your hands your son, your faithful servant, your apostle and prophet Rolando, bishop of Christ. He is being held in a filthy prison by a criminal dictatorship. Lord, have mercy on Rolando and have mercy on his people!”
The Auxiliary Bishop of Managua prayed like this: “We ask you, Lord, that the strength of our prayer reaches the cell where he is, like a soft breeze, like strong comfort. We ask you to give him health, give him strength and hope.
“Above all, we ask you so that very soon we may see the miracle that can only come from You: that Rolando be released unconditionally and can return as bishop in the midst of the people that the Church has entrusted to him. Lord, we believe in You, we believe in the power of prayer, ” he concluded.