Originally published in Premier Christian News
A Catholic bishop has been shot dead in Mozambique. Fifty-year-old Osorio Citora Afonso, the Bishop of Quelimane and Apostolic Administrator of Beira, was shot in the chest in what the Church is describing as “mysterious circumstances”.
His body was found on June 6 at his official church residence in Quelimane, in the east of the country.
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Nathalie Raffray from the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) told Premier Christian News that he was a very popular bishop who was committed to promoting the values of peace and reconciliation.
She said he spoke openly about the troubles in Mozambique, and his death had left the Church in Mozambique in a state of shock.
“They received the news with profound sorrow, as we might imagine, and have appealed for the serenity of faith and the fraternal solidarity of the entire Catholic community and the Mozambican people in the face of this truly tragic event,” she said.
Pope Leo said he had “learned with sorrow of this serious act of violence” and was praying for the people of the dioceses and for Mozambique.
The President of Mozambique, Daniel Francisco Chapo, also described the bishop’s death as “an irreparable loss for Mozambican society and for the Christian community”.
Although no one has yet claimed responsibility for Bishop Osorio’s death, it comes at a time of increasing jihadist attacks in Mozambique.
ACN warned last week that Islamic extremists had openly declared their intent to establish a caliphate in the country. Raffray said that since 2017, 6 300 lives had been lost to jihadist violence, with more than one million people displaced.
She added: “It’s just so shocking for all Christians, and even Muslims, because Christians and Muslims get on with each other in these parts of the world. These are extremists who are doing this, so there is a call for peace.”
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