Managua: Father Mario de Jesús Guevara Calero, the Nicaraguan priest who survived a brutal acid attack inside the Managua Cathedral in 2018, passed away on Sunday, October 12, at the age of 66. He had been serving as the spiritual director of the La Purísima Archdiocesan Major Seminary in Managua.
The Archdiocese of Managua announced his death with deep sorrow, as Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes and the clergy of the capital extended heartfelt condolences to Father Guevara’s family, the seminary community, and the faithful he had served across several parishes.
Father Guevara’s life took a tragic turn on December 5, 2018, when he was attacked with acid by Russian national Elis Leonidovna Gonn while hearing confessions at the Managua Cathedral. The priest sustained severe burns on his face and body, requiring multiple surgeries and long-term treatment. Despite the trauma, he publicly forgave his attacker a gesture that became a profound symbol of Christian mercy amid growing persecution of the Church in Nicaragua.
The incident occurred during a period of heightened repression against the Catholic Church by the regime of President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo. In August 2019, the Nicaraguan government released Gonn and expelled her from the country, drawing widespread criticism from human rights organizations and the international community.
During the funeral Mass celebrated on October 13 at the Immaculate Conception of Mary Parish in the Masaya pastoral area, Cardinal Brenes recalled Father Guevara’s unwavering dedication and serenity. “Even in his suffering, Father Mario never complained. He continued serving his community with a smile and deep faith,” the Cardinal said.
Speaking about the priest’s final days, Brenes noted, “He went through a Calvary of pain, yet when I visited him, I always found him with his Liturgy of the Hours and the rosary in his hands. He was a man of prayer who never lost his communion with God and the Blessed Virgin.”
The Cardinal further reflected that Father Guevara’s legacy was one of silent strength. “He did not preach with great words, but with the testimony of his life simple, humble, and filled with the power of Christ himself,” Brenes said.
Researcher and human rights advocate Martha Patricia Molina, author of “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” paid tribute to the late priest on social media, writing, “May the Lord grant Father Mario Guevara the joy of eternal life. His life and ministry were a testimony of faith under fire.”
Molina’s latest report records more than 1,000 attacks against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua and notes that over 16,500 religious processions and acts of devotion have been banned under the Sandinista regime a stark reflection of the sustained campaign of hostility toward the Church.
Father Guevara’s death marks the end of a journey of suffering and forgiveness that became a symbol of faith’s endurance amid oppression a life that, even in silence and pain, spoke volumes about the power of grace.