Bible Society and thousands of Bibles burned in Madagascar

The destroyed premises of the Bible Society of Madagascar after an attack by protesters. Photo: Regards Protestants

On September 30, 2025, during mass unrest in the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, the country’s Bible Society building was looted and set on fire, Tribune Chrétienne reports.

According to the publication, protesters first ransacked the ground floor of the building, where a supermarket was located, and then moved upstairs to the Bible Society offices and set them ablaze. The fire completely destroyed the storage area containing editions of the Holy Scriptures, while the books that survived were damaged by water during firefighting efforts. In total, about 2,700 Bibles were lost, with estimated damages of around €100,000.

The Bible Society of Madagascar is an interdenominational organization that belongs to the United Bible Societies and is not affiliated with any single church.

Madagascar has been gripped by widespread protests since September, sparked by the economic crisis, shortages of water and electricity, and rising corruption. Some demonstrations have turned violent, with looting and arson.

For Madagascar’s Christians, the burning of a building dedicated to the Word of God has become a painful blow. Believers call the incident a symbol of the country’s moral and social decline. Representatives of local churches have expressed hope for the restoration of the institution, emphasizing that “fire can destroy books, but not faith.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Pope Leo had compared Ukraine to the famine-stricken countries of Africa.

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