Vatican:

Pope Francis shared his concern for the Latin American nation of Nicaragua on Monday during the Angelus prayer on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. “I express deep concern about the events unfolding in Nicaragua, where Bishops and priests have been deprived of their freedom.”

In the past week, authorities in Nicaragua have detained at least 14 priests, one Bishop, and two seminarians- Alester Saenz and Tony Palacio. Bishop Isidoro del Carmen Mora Ortega from the Diocese of Siuna was arrested on December 20. His arrest occurred after he publicly prayed for Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos, the Bishop of Matagalpa.

Bishop Álvarez had previously been sentenced to 26 years in prison earlier in the year on charges of conspiracy, spreading false news, obstructing justice, and insulting authorities.

Following the Marian prayer, the Pope conveyed his closeness in prayer to them, their families, and the entire Church in the country. He urged all the people of God to unite in “persistent prayer” for Nicaragua.

“I hope that we always seek the path of dialogue to overcome difficulties,” added the Pope.

“Let us pray for Nicaragua today,” he concluded.

On Saturday, Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano, the Archbishop of Managua, presided over Mass in his Cathedral and conveyed his solidarity "with the families and communities that are currently experiencing the absence of their priests."

Cardinal Brenes encouraged the faithful to stay connected through prayer.

"Unity in the Church," he emphasized, "serves as our source of strength... Alongside Mary, our mother, at the foot of the Cross, may the Lord bring us comfort and reveal His mercy."

As of now, neither the government nor the police have officially acknowledged or refuted the detention of these clergymen.

Officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have noted that Nicaragua is progressively departing from the principles of the rule of law and essential freedoms. They observe a trend of persecuting "political and indigenous leaders, members of the Catholic Church, activists, and journalists," with instances of "repeated cases of arbitrary detention."