Pope Francis expressed his sorrow on Sunday over the increasing violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where many Christians have been killed because of their faith.
During the Sunday Angelus prayer, the 87-year-old pontiff stated, “Painful news continues to arrive of clashes and massacres in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.” He urged national and international authorities to intervene and put an end to the violence to protect civilian lives.
Highlighting that “many Christians” were victims of the recent bloodshed, Pope Francis referred to them as “martyrs” who were killed out of hatred for their faith. He emphasized that their sacrifice is a source of inspiration for others to courageously witness to the Gospel.
Since the beginning of June, nearly 150 people have lost their lives in eastern DRC in attacks linked to rebels associated with the Islamic State group. A recent attack in the Beni region, blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces group, resulted in the death of 42 individuals, some of whom were decapitated.
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