Four days after calling the Bishop of Pemba, D. Luiz Lisboa, expressing his closeness to the prelate and the population of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique Pope Francis refers again to this region of Mozambique, the scene of violent terrorist attacks since October 2017, which have intensified this year, causing a significant number of deaths and thousands of displaced persons.
On Sunday, August 23, after the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father reiterated his “ closeness to the population” of Cabo Delgado , “who is suffering because of international terrorism”, adding that he had “a vivid memory of the visit he made about a year ago to Mozambique”.
The Pope’s words about the situation in Cabo Delgado are relevant to his concern about the evolution of the situation in the north of this African country, as Francis phoned the Bishop of Pemba directly last Wednesday, expressing his proximity to the prelate. and the population victimized by extreme violence by terrorist groups that claim to be linked to ISIS, the Islamic State.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has helped Christians in Mozambique with a variety of projects, from rebuilding churches to subsistence support for missionaries. An emergency aid campaign is currently underway for the local Church given the particularly serious situation in Cabo Delgado, with more than a thousand dead and more than 250 thousand displaced, in a terrible scenario of destruction that has already led to the abandonment of countless villages and towns.
The Holy Father asked for everyone’s prayers for the victims of violence based on religion and belief. “Let us pray for these brothers of ours and let us support, with prayer and solidarity, also those – and there are many – who are still persecuted because of their religious faith. Many!”
