Earlier today, members of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, including priests and laypeople, gathered to lead a rosary procession to the exact location where Fr. Matthew Eya was tragically killed last Friday. At this solemn site, they celebrated a Votive Mass, praying earnestly for the eternal rest of the departed priest‘s soul and invoking God’s mercy and justice.
Fr. Matthew was fatally shot on the Eha-Alumona to Eha-Ndiagu road in Enugu State while returning home from a pastoral visit.
On the previous Friday, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, a dedicated priest serving the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, was brutally murdered on his journey back to his parish along the Ehandiagu – Eha-Alumona route in Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. He had faithfully served in the priesthood for nearly five years.
Throughout his ministry, Fr. Matthew willingly left behind personal comforts to spread the Gospel among marginalized communities. He reached out to those often overlooked by society, dedicating his life to Christ and his congregation. Yet, his commitment was met with a violent end. This heartbreaking event raises a profound question: what is truly gained by taking the life of a priest?
This incident is part of a disturbing pattern. Across Nigeria, priests have increasingly become targets, facing threats, abductions, and brutal killings. Some have been burned alive, others shot, and many subjected to torture. The blood of these spiritual leaders has sadly become a recurring stain on Nigerian soil.
However, it is crucial to understand that a priest is inherently a symbol of sacrifice. At ordination, every priest is united with Christ the High Priest, who “offered Himself once for all” (Hebrews 7:27). To live as a priest means to embrace a life of continual self-giving-a daily offering on the altar of service.
Therefore, when a priest is killed, it is not merely a life extinguished; it is the completion of a sacred sacrifice. Though his blood may be spilled, it is a blood already given. Though his body may be wounded, it was long ago surrendered on the altar of devotion. A priest’s death is preceded by a life poured out in love for others.
Taking the life of a priest does not destroy a man of wealth or power. It extinguishes a soul who immersed himself in impoverished communities, nourished hungry children, and built altars of hope where despair once reigned. It silences a man whose strength lies in the Word and whose weapon is prayer. What, then, is truly achieved?
The priest serves as a mediator (Hebrews 5:1), a voice for the voiceless, a guardian to the orphaned, a confessor to the repentant, and a servant to those in pain. To kill a priest is to assault compassion itself, to sever the hand extended to heal the broken. It is a declaration of hostility against grace. Yet, grace endures and rises anew-just as Christ did.
To those who commit violence against priests, remember this: you may end the life of a priest, but you cannot extinguish the priesthood. The blood shed nourishes the Church’s foundation. The silence imposed will resonate louder than any weapon. From every martyr, God raises countless others. The altar will never stand empty. Flesh may fall, but the spirit of sacrifice lives eternally. Though they may be struck down, their mission transcends mortal violence.
May the soul of Fr. Matthew Eya, along with all priests who have lost their lives across Africa, find eternal peace in Christ. May their sacrifice awaken both Church and society to protect those who uphold our hope and bring an end to this senseless bloodshed-because nothing is gained by killing a priest.
Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch
This morning, the priests and the lay faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka made a rosary procession to the spot where Fr Matthew Eya was murdered last Friday and there, they offered the Votive Mass for the repose of the soul of the slain priest and for God’s mercy and… https://t.co/sE1ESbQTog pic.twitter.com/lSpCnHxh1e
– Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch (@FrUgochukwu) September 25, 2025
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