A Sunday School teacher from Zion Church in Sri Lanka says that minutes before a bomb blast ripped through her church she had asked the children who would be willing to die for Christ. They all raised their hands. 

According to Israeli Christian social media star Hananya Naftali, Caroline Mahendran was the Sunday school teacher at Zion Church.

Mahendran told Naftali, "Today was an Easter Sunday school at the Church and we asked the children how many of you willing to die for Christ? Everyone raised their hands. Minutes later, they came down to the main service and the blast happened. Half of the children died on the spot."

Attacks were revenge: government

Sri Lanka's minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, says the Easter Sunday bombings in and around the capital of Colombo were carried out in retaliation for attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15.

The official made the comment to lawmakers in Parliament today, without providing evidence or any further explanation.

Death toll continues to climb

Wijewardene said the toll from Sunday's coordinated suicide bombings at three churches and three luxury hotels, and bombings at three other sites now stand at 321 people dead and 500 injured.

The government has blamed a local Islamist militant group for the attacks.