A Roman Catholic bishop was killed in Mozambique

Pope Leo XIV expressed his deep sorrow over the brutal murder of Bishop Kelimane and the Apostolic Administrator of Beira, Monsignor Azaria Sirota Arone. The head of the Vatican, who is currently visiting Spain, called for prayers for the people of Mozambique and an end to the violence in the region.

According to Vatican News, the prelate’s body was discovered on June 6 at his official residence in Kelimane. According to information from the National Criminal Investigation Service, announced at a press conference, the bishop sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and died at the scene. The circumstances and motives behind the crime remain unclear at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.

Monsignor Azaria Sirota Arone held key positions in the church hierarchy, including the post of secretary general of the Mozambican Bishops’ Conference, and also served for many years in the Department of Evangelization. On behalf of the country’s Catholic Church, Archbishop Inácio Saure of Nampula expressed his condolences and called on the faithful to show fraternal solidarity during this difficult time.

Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo also commented on the tragedy, calling the bishop’s death an irreplaceable loss not only for the Christian community but for Mozambican society as a whole.

As a reminder, we previously reported that in the province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique, the historic Church of St. Louis de Montfort was completely destroyed as a result of an attack by extremists.