In Nicaragua, faithful celebrate Holy week indoors amid ban

By GABRIELA SELSER
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Roman Catholics in Nicaragua have had to hold traditional “Stations of the Cross” and other Holy Week processions inside churches or on church grounds amid a ban on public demonstrations. Relations between autocratic President Daniel Ortega and the church have frayed to near non-existence since Nicaragua’s government proposed severing relations and sentenced a bishop to 26 years in prison. Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes says celebrations were held Friday throughout the country “near the churches.” But he adds that they went off “not with all the intensity” of years past.