Violence mounted in Washington, DC on the day many Orthodox Christians were  celebrating Christmas.

The U.S. capital erupted into violence over  its November presidential election after a speech by President Donald Trump that said his election defeat was a fraud and he encouraged his supporters to march on the Capitol.

Church leaders worldwide denounced the rioters actions on Jan. 6 at the meeting place of the U.S. Congress.

Officers from Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department said that 4 people had died in connection with the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol, Newsweek reported.

World Council of Churches interim general secretary Rev. Ioan Sauca expressed "grave and mounting concern" at the latest developments as protestors calling themselves patriots invaded the US. Capitol building in Washington DC.

"The divisive populist politics of recent years have unleashed forces that threaten the foundations of democracy in the United States and—to the extent that it represents an example to other countries—in the wider world," said Sauca.

The World Evangelical Alliance joinsed the National Association of Evangelicals its U.S. national member body in denouncing the insurrection on Capitol Hill .

In a Jan. 7 statement the NAE said "the insurrection epitomizes the rancor and polarization present in our country" and that the NAE "denounces the violence at the U.S. Capitol as well as the nation's longstanding vices that led to this chaos."

"Followers of Jesus are peacemakers. Some images from the protests demonstrate a disturbing conflation of Christianity and a nationalist ideology that is far from the way of Jesus. Christians are commanded to seek the peace of the cities where they live, to love their enemies, to seek unity and to proclaim a message of peace (Jeremiah 29:5–11; Romans 12:9–18)," the NAE noted.

U.S. mega-church paster Rick Warren tweeted @RickWarren, "Armed breaching of capitol security behind a confederate flag is anarchy, unAmerican, criminal treason and domestic terrorism. President Trump must clearly tell his supporters 'We lost. Go home now.'"

Warren noted, "Here's what God says: 'When the leader is concerned with justice, the nation will be strong, but when he is only concerned with money, he will ruin his country.' Proverbs 29:4 (TEV)"

Jim Winkler, president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches (USA), released a statement on the "Mob Attack of the US Capitol" that condemned and repudiated the actions of pro-Trump protesters.

'DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE'

"Chaos reigns, guns have been drawn, and our democracy is under siege. This is outrageous, unacceptable, shameful and a disgrace," Winkler said. "Every effort must be made by law enforcement to restore order immediately."

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Albert Mohler, who backed Trump in 2020 but has refuted claims of election fraud, put the responsibility directly on the president. "President Trump is responsible now for unleashing mayhem," he wrote, Christianity Today reported Jan 6.

"What we are seeing in Washington now is the refutation of our American commitment, a form of unleashed anarchy which is the enemy of ordered liberty, and President Trump is responsible now for unleashing mayhem. Pray that God will rescue is from this," he tweeted.

A chaotic and violent scene unfolded at the Capitol in Washington DC as supporters of President Donald Trump swarmed the building to protest the U.S. Electoral College vote, forcing a lockdown and many confrontations with police,

The police did not have the numbers to hold back the protestors as a mob stormed the U.S. Congress some of whom were dressed in U.S. military uniforms, USA Today reported in zn incident described by a CNN broadaster as "domestic terrorism.".

The House and Senate were less than an hour into debating the first Republican Party a contested state election when they were forced to abruptly recess following a rally by Trump.

Mostly maskless rioters crowded into the hallways around each chamber and rioters boke into the U.S. Congress as members of both the Democratic Party and the Republicans codemned the storrming of the institution reprseneting U.S. democracy.

"Within minutes of the mob breaching the Capitol complex, rioters were pounding on the doors of the House gallery, where a group of lawmakers were trapped," the New York Times reported, 

The chaos erupted in Washington as Trump supporters swarmed the Capitol building, prompting Vice President Mike Pence to be swept to a secure location and the Senate chamber to be evacuated.

The WCC urged those responsible for the Jan. 6 violence to desist and to return to civil discourse and established democratic processes, calling on all parties to resist short-term political interests and to act in a manner responsible to others and accountable to the wider society.

"We pray that the churches of America be empowered with wisdom and strength to provide leadership through this crisis, and on the path of peace, reconciliation, and justice," said Sauca.

Police found a cooler full of Molotov cocktails and two pipe bombs at the nearby headquarters of the Republican and Democratic Paries national committees.