The "Solidarity Vigil and Interfaith Prayer" event, co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis-based Center for Interfaith Cooperation and the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, drew leaders in the city of the Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish and Muslim communities.

Thannamunai, a small village some 140 miles northeast of Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, was the place where people defied the ban on Sunday Mass in the wake of the recent terror attacks in the country.

Churches and governments throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly concerned with the continued threats from Isis-inspired groups and persons, given the growing number of church bombings.

Sri Lanka's president has asked for the resignations of the defense secretary and national police chief, a dramatic internal shake-up after security forces shrugged off intelligence reports warning of possible attacks before Easter bombings that killed over 350 people, the president's office said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed he and other top government officials were not told about a possible threat and told local media “we must look into why adequate precautions were not taken.”

Sri Lanka’s Christians have a long history that reflects the dynamics of colonialism as well as present-day ethnic and religious tensions.