PHOTO: NIGRIZIA
In the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique, a conflict has raged for approximately eight years, causing death, destruction, and forcing thousands of people to flee. The Catholic Church works for reconciliation through gestures of peace and dialogue.
The appeals of the local and universal Church
Both the local and universal Churches have launched and continue to launch several appeals for peace in Cabo Delgado, a district of Mozambique devastated by terrorists.
Pope Francis has repeatedly launched appeals for Cabo Delgado and asked for prayers from all so that peace may return to this “martyred region” of Mozambique (Angelus, February 18, 2024).
Pope Leo XIV also expressed solidarity with the people of Cabo Delgado, asking for prayers of hope and that the government’s efforts can restore peace (Angelus, 24 August 2025).
The Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM) is also closely monitoring the situation of insecurity and war and is launching prayer initiatives for peace, calling on the government to find lasting solutions for peace.
At the last meeting of the CEM president, on November 15, 2025, Bishop Inácio Saure emphasized the persistence of terrorism in northern Mozambique. The archbishop warned that Nampula and Cabo Delgado continue to suffer the effects of violence, with many families displaced and entire communities living in a state of ongoing insecurity. He asked the Head of State for clear signals on the prospects for peace and mechanisms that can strengthen stability.
READ his interview to Vatican News.
The Bishop of Pemba, in Cabo Delgado, Dom Antonio Juliasse, meeting with the displaced population on the occasion of the celebration of the Peace Accords Day on 4 October 2024, perceived the challenge of the people who place their trust in the Church as a means to achieve lasting peace.
Here is the living testimony of the dialogue with the displaced people of Cabo Delgado (production of the diocesan Radio Sem Fronteiras):
“Sickness seeks us, death seeks us. The suffering is great, the hunger is great. For this reason, Servant of God, I ask you to speak with the government of Mozambique.”
Hermenegilda’s testimony
I’m sharing my experience last year, when I lost my childhood friend, Bertina, to the insurgents in Cabo Delgado. We went to elementary school together, but then her entire family moved to another village in Ankwabu, and so we lost touch for a while.
We later met again; she had already graduated as a nurse, worked at the rural hospital, and had a small child. It was a great joy to meet again, and we occasionally shared our journeys, dreams, and aspirations. She kept me updated on the situation and all the people’s concerns, since I’m also from Cabo Delgado, even though I now live in the south of the country.
One day I received news that terrorists had attacked the village of Ankwambu, and I immediately thought of my friend Bertina and the local people. I called her, but she didn’t answer, and I was a little worried. After a few days, I called again, and this time her mother answered. She gave me the shocking news that Bertina had lost her life at the hands of terrorists. It was a difficult moment for me. The lack of peace causes so much damage; it’s a shame. I think of her son who will grow up without knowing his mother or experiencing her love and affection”.
Peace is a collective pursuit and a daily construction. This effort begins with the absence of war and culminates in the unity of all in the promotion of justice, equality, mutual respect, and solidarity, starting with the individual, the community, and the world.
It is an ongoing process that requires everyone’s commitment, transforming ethical values into attitudes and practices for the common good, harmony, and human development.
Sr. Julia Muya, mc
