“Let us think in silence of these brothers and sisters who have lost their lives in this pastoral ministry,” he said in St. Theresa Cathedral in Juba on Feb. 4.

The pope met with the bishops, priests, and religious of South Sudan on the second day of his historic trip to the war-torn country.

Approximately 1,000 people were present in the cathedral for the meeting, and another 5,000 were outside the cathedral, according to local authorities.

During the encounter, Francis heard testimony about the lives and ministries of Sister Mary Daniel Abud and Sister Regina Roba, who were killed in a violent attack in South Sudan in 2021.

Many priests and religious, he said, “have been victims of violence and attacks in which they lost their lives. In a very real way, they offered their lives for the sake of the Gospel.”

“Their closeness to their brothers and sisters is a marvellous testimony that they bequeath to us, a legacy that invites us to carry forward their mission,” he said.

Source: Catholic News Agency

Photo: MTI/AP/Moses Sawasawa