“Painful news continues to arrive about the clashes and massacres in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” It is with difficulty that the Pope once again reiterated his appeal to the country’s authorities and the international community to put an end to the violence and preserve the lives of civilians. Among the victims, many are Christians killed “in odium fidei,” Francis lamented after the Angelus prayer this Sunday, June 16.
Vatican News
“I appeal to national authorities and the international community to do everything possible to end the violence and preserve the lives of civilians“. It is with these words that the Holy Father resounded, in Saint-Pierre Square, a new appeal in favor of the Congolese people, particularly in the eastern part of the country which he visited from January 31 to February 3, 2023 Among the victims, he lamented, “many are Christians killed “in odium fidei”“.
“They are martyrs!“, launched the Pope. “Their sacrifice is a seed that germinates and bears fruit, and teaches us to bear witness to the Gospel with courage and constancy.», he said after reciting the Marian prayer of the Angelus with the thousands of faithful and pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, on Sunday June 16.
Among the various groups who came to pray with the Pope today, there was also that of women from the Congolese Catholic community, who came to Rome for a meeting held from June 15 to 16, 2024 in tribute to the founder of the Catholic Moms movement, the former Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Joseph Albert Malula, died on June 14, 1987.These mothers sing well! I would love to hear you sing again“, warmly wished the Bishop of Rome.
Violence in North Kivu in recent weeks
On Saturday June 15, at least seven people were killed during riots in the province of North Kivu, after the population took to the streets to protest against the increase in deadly attacks carried out by rebels claiming to be part of the state. Islamic. And in the past week, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group affiliated with the Islamic State, reportedly killed more than 40 people in an attack on the village of Mayikengo, in the Northern Province -Kivu, and more than 80 in attacks on other villages in the province the previous week.
