Mozambique Catholic Church demands justice for assassinated Bishop Osório

The Conference of Episcopal of Mozambique (CEM) has called on judicial authorities to urgently clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso. Three months after the incident, the Catholic leadership stated that both the Church and Mozambican society still lack answers regarding the motives behind the crime.

Bishop Afonso, who served the Diocese of Quelimane and was the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Beira, was found dead in his official residence on June 6 following a firearm incident. The bishops described the assassination as an unprecedented event in the recent history of the Catholic Church in Mozambique.

During an extraordinary plenary assembly held from September 2 to 4, the CEM urged justice organs to continue their investigations, emphasizing that finding the truth is essential for reconciliation. In response to the loss, the Church announced internal pastoral support measures for the Diocese of Quelimane, appointing two prelates to assist Bishop Estêvão Ângelo Fernando in his governance of the jurisdiction.