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Pope Leo XIV Condemns Hospital Massacre in Congo, Highlights Global Christian Persecution
Pope Leo XIV has called for international attention following a brutal attack on a church-run hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), connecting it to what he describes as a troubling global pattern of violence against Christians.
“In various parts of the world, Christians suffer discrimination and persecution. I think especially of Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique, Sudan, and other countries from which we frequently hear of attacks on communities and places of worship,” the Pope wrote in a statement published on his official social media accounts.
At least 17 people were killed when fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group aligned with the Islamic State, stormed a diocesan health center in the village of Byambwe, North Kivu, late Friday night. According to Col. Alain Kiwewa, the local administrator, the attackers killed patients in their beds, with victims including 11 women and six men.
“Women who were breastfeeding were brutally slaughtered and found with their throats slit in their hospital beds,” Kiwewa told the Associated Press, describing the horrific scene.
The hospital, operated by the Little Sisters of the Presentation, provided essential maternal care and basic surgical services in a region with limited medical facilities. After killing patients, the militants looted medical supplies, set fire to the hospital, and destroyed 27 nearby homes. Several newborns are believed to have been kidnapped during the attack.
Fr. Giovanni Piumatti, an Italian missionary who has served more than five decades in the Diocese of Butembo-Beni, described the incident to Vatican News as “a typical ADF attack,” noting that the militants “kill mothers as they are breastfeeding their babies,” following what he characterized as a familiar pattern of brutality in the region.
The ADF, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, has a history of targeting Christians and religious facilities across eastern Congo. In August 2025, Human Rights Watch reported that the group “killed more than 40 people, including several children, with guns and machetes during a nighttime church gathering” in Komanda, Ituri province. The report noted that in recent years, the ADF has been “implicated in scores of killings and abductions” throughout eastern Congo.
Eastern Congo’s North Kivu region has faced decades of violence, with multiple armed groups competing for control over its mineral-rich territories. The region contains valuable deposits of gold, coltan, and other resources essential for modern electronics, making it strategically important for both local militias and international interests.
Piumatti condemned what he called the “shameful silence” of the international community, suggesting that economic interests in the region’s natural resources have allowed armed groups like the ADF to flourish with relative impunity.
The Byambwe massacre occurs against a backdrop of increasing violence targeting Christians across Africa. Nigeria, Mozambique, and Sudan—all mentioned in the Pope’s statement—have experienced similar religiously motivated attacks in recent months.
Human rights organizations have documented a rising trend of persecution against Christian communities worldwide. Open Doors International, which tracks religious freedom violations, reported that more than 365 million Christians faced high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith in 2024, with the most severe situations concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia.
The Pope’s statement concluded with a call for prayer and action: “I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where in recent days there has been a massacre of civilians. Let us pray that all violence may cease and that believers may work together for the common good.”
The United Nations has repeatedly called for increased international support to address the security crisis in eastern Congo, where more than 5 million people remain internally displaced due to ongoing conflict. Despite the presence of UN peacekeeping forces, violence against civilian populations has continued largely unabated.
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8 Comments
This is a heartbreaking tragedy. My condolences go out to the victims and their families. The international community must do more to address the threats facing Christian and other minority communities in conflict zones across Africa.
This is a grim reminder of the dangers that healthcare workers and faith-based organizations face in conflict zones. The Pope’s comments highlight the need for stronger protections and support for those providing vital services to vulnerable populations.
This is a tragic and disturbing attack on innocent civilians, including vulnerable women and patients. The Pope is right to condemn the persecution of Christians globally and call for greater international attention and action to protect religious minorities.
The persecution of Christians in places like the Congo is a growing global concern that deserves greater attention and action from the international community. We must stand up for religious freedom and the sanctity of human life.
As the world’s largest Christian population, Africa has seen a disturbing rise in attacks on churches and Christian institutions. The Pope is right to highlight this issue and push for greater global action to defend religious freedom and human rights.
The massacre in the Congo is yet another example of the growing threat of extremist violence against healthcare facilities and Christian communities in Africa. More needs to be done to address the root causes and provide security for vulnerable populations.
I agree. These attacks on hospitals and places of worship are unconscionable and demand a coordinated international response to bring the perpetrators to justice and protect civilian lives.
While the details of this attack are still emerging, it’s clear that the targeting of a hospital and the brutal murder of patients is a heinous war crime. The Pope is right to condemn these actions and call for accountability.