Pope Leo XIV has expressed his deep sorrow over the massacre of Christians in Komanda and has called on local and international leaders to act to prevent such violence.
According to Vatican News, the Pope said during his first General Audience after the summer break, “I renew my deep sorrow for the brutal terrorist attack that took place during the night of July 26 to 27 in Komanda, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than forty Christians were killed in church during a prayer vigil and in their own homes.” He added, “I pray for the wounded and for all Christians around the world who continue to suffer violence and persecution.”
The attack occurred during the night of July 26–27, 2025, when militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group affiliated with the Islamic State, stormed the Parish of Blessed Anuarite in Komanda in the DRC’s Ituri province. Worshippers, including children, had gathered for a prayer vigil and were attacked with guns and machetes. Homes nearby were also looted and burned, and some people were abducted. Local authorities reported that at least 34 people were killed, while UN-linked monitors put the death toll at 43, including women and children, according to AP News.
This massacre is part of a broader pattern of violence in eastern Congo, where the ADF has terrorized civilians for years. The militia, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, has been linked to repeated massacres, including an earlier July attack in Ituri province that killed 66 people, according to Our Sunday Visitor. Despite efforts by Congolese forces, Ugandan troops, and UN peacekeepers, the group continues to operate with impunity in the region.
In his appeal, Pope Leo XIV entrusted the victims to God’s mercy and urged action from those in authority. “I urge those with responsibilities at both the local and international levels to work together to prevent such tragedies,” he said during the audience. In a telegram of condolences, he prayed, “May the blood of these martyrs become a seed of peace, reconciliation, fraternity, and love for the Congolese people.”
For the faithful, the attack is a sobering reminder of the ongoing persecution of Christians around the world. The Pope’s prayer calls all believers to stand in solidarity with the suffering Church and to join in fervent prayer for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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I pray that Jesus Christ will give justice to the people who are suffering and not punish but forgive them because they don’t know what they have done and Rest in peace who died and specially pray for people who are injured Amen