Scottish Catholic Observer

The device, the type of which is not yet known, took place in the early hours of the morning on July 25 in Mexico City, but detectives continue to investigate the incident, with motives as yet unclear.

“Today in the early hours of the morning, around 1.50am, an unknown type of explosive device was placed at the main door of the CEM building,” read a statement by Armando Cavazos, the media director of the Bishops’ Conference. “The pertinent investigations are taking place, as apparently this is not the first case occurring in that area of Mexico City.”

Mr Cavazos said that the explosion had only resulted in ‘material damage’ to the door at which it had been placed and that ‘no one outside or inside’ came to any harm.

The offices are located on a busy strip, and as well as pilgrims and tourists, many commuters use the area during busy times.

Security camera footage of the blast was released on Twitter by Bishop Ramon Castro of Cuernavaca, which shows the moment the bomb went off.

“The headquarters of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference has been attacked with a three cylinder explosive device,” the bishop said. “I believe this reflects the situation in Mexico.”

Bishop Castro has previously spoken of the violence that is taking place and impacting upon his own diocese, not far south of the country’s capital.

The attack comes after the country has been plagued with ongoing violence, and recently suffered the largest number of murders in June for 20 years,w ith 2,234 homicides taking place.

Statistics also show there has been an increase in crime rates.The Church has also been impacted by the violence, in a country where 83 per cent describe themselves as Catholic, with at least 18 Mexican priests being murdered over the last five years, according to the Centro Catolico Multimedial.