Mozambique Bishops demand justice for murdered Bishop Osório

The Episcopal Conference of Mozambique is calling on judicial authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the murder of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso. In a communiqué issued Friday, September 4, following an Extraordinary Plenary Assembly, the bishops stated that the Catholic Church and Mozambican society are still waiting for answers three months after the death of the Bishop of Quelimane.

Bishop Afonso was found dead in his residence following a gunshot incident in the early hours of June 6. He was buried on June 13 at the clergy cemetery of the Archdiocese of Nampula. The bishops described the killing as an unprecedented event in the history of the Catholic Church in Mozambique and expressed perplexity that the perpetrators and motives have not yet been identified.

The bishops urged the judiciary to continue the investigation, stating that finding the truth could help heal the wound caused by the death. They noted that the murder remains a heavy blow to the Church and continues to cause suffering among the faithful.