A week after protests by young adults swept away Nepal’s political leadership that left government offices and Parliament buildings torched, Catholic Church leaders are praying for a return to order.

“We are glad the stunning turmoil subsided as fast as it erupted. Now, we have simmering peace. We are praying for our nation to return to full normalcy at the earliest,” Father Silas Bogati, administrator of the apostolic vicariate for the Catholic Church in Nepal, told the Register Tuesday from the bishop’s residence in a suburb of Kathmandu, the capital.

Kathmandu plunged into mayhem Sept. 9 after security forces fired on a protest rally by Gen Z youth on the previous day, killing 19 people, including students. The protest had been organized to oppose the Sept. 5 government ban on social media, widely portrayed as a bid to curb criticism of rampant political corruption and unemployment.

The whirlwind of violence and arson from the next day led to the torching of key government buildings, such as the Parliament, the office of the prime minister, the Nepalese Supreme Court, offices and residences of government ministers, along with the Hilton Hotel in Kathmandu, the tallest building in the nation of 30 million people.

As fires spread beyond the capital, the death toll reached 72, including three policemen. More than 2,000 were injured, and several businesses and shopping malls suffered looting.

With Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s rapid resignation in the face of the protests, the army moved in and imposed a curfew to defuse the situation. Members of the military and the president’s office engaged in dialogue with the protesters, to the swearing-in of 73-year-old Sushila Karki, the only female to have been Nepal’s chief justice, as interim Prime Minister Sept. 12.

“The situation is peaceful now. But many have lost employment. We have a long way to go,” said Father Bogati, who was appointed in January as administrator of the nearly 10,000-member Catholic Church in Nepal after presiding Bishop Paul Simmick was transferred to the Diocese of Bagdogra in India.

Reports say the bloody protests and chaos will do further damage to tourism, which is already down 30% in the peak season.

“What began as a peaceful protest by our youth — Nepal’s digital generation — against the government’s callous disregard for their aspirations has spiraled into a national upheaval,” remarked Josh Niraula, Kathmandu-based former secretary of Caritas Asia.

This anger, fueled by years of frustration with systemic corruption and political elitism, erupted into widespread violence.”

“Nepal’s Gen Z never intended their call for justice to plunge the nation into chaos, but their movement has exposed the rot within our political system. This is a pivotal moment for Nepal’s fragile democracy, one that demands not only prayers and solidarity but also a collective resolve to rebuild a system that serves all Nepalis. We stand at a crossroads between anarchy and renewal,” noted Niraula.

Karki, the interim prime minister, has announced a swift measure to instill hope, declaring that the families of the 72 dead, whom she called “martyrs,” would receive a reparation of one million rupees (about $7,500).

The family of Chirendra Satyal, a prominent Catholic convert who hails from the royal family of Hindu priests, had to cancel the elaborate destination wedding of their daughter, opting for a “simple blessing” by Father Bogati in the chapel of the bishop’s house in Kathmandu. Satyal was baptized in 1980 by Jesuit Father Edward le Jolly, spiritual director of St. Teresa of Calcutta.

“We were even fearful while going for the marriage blessing from the city in the morning as curfew could have been reimposed any time. Seeing torched buildings, charred vehicles and strewn glass on the roads was scary,” Satyal, himself a journalist, told the Register.

Similarly, the 65th anniversary of the profession of Sister Monique Niraula of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, which was to be celebrated at Assumption Church, the largest church that accounts for 25% of all Catholics in the Himalayan country, on Sept. 19, too was canceled.

“Given the ongoing chaos and uncertainty, it's difficult to predict when the country will return to peace. It may take a few more months to gauge the situation accurately,” Father Lalit Tudu, vicar of the Assumption Church, told the Register. “Nonetheless, we continue to pray for peace and integrity in the country, hoping for a return to stability and normalcy.”