Parishioners Praying at Ruins of Catholic Church Destroyed by Terrorists in Mozambique

Maputo, 28 June, 2024 / 8:18 PM

Parishioners of Immaculate Conception Parish of the Catholic Diocese of Pemba in Mozambique’s port town of Mocímboa da Praia, who fled when their town was attacked in 2020, and their Church razed down, are slowly coming back and gathering to pray at the ruins of their church.

According to the Pontifical and charity foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, the Parishioners are undeterred by the absence of Sacraments. the Clergy, and women and men Religious.

“When terrorists overran the town of Mocímboa da Praia, most of the population, including Christians, fled. Now, the Christians who returned have no access to the sacraments, and no clergy or religious to assist them, but continue to gather close to the ruins of the local church to pray together every Sunday,” ACN says in a Thursday, June 27 report.

According to ACN, everyone, including Christians and Clergy fled when members of the Islamist group Al Shabaab landed on the town that is located in the embattled Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, causing massive destruction.

In the June 27 report, ACN notes that Mocímboa da Praia has been occupied by terrorists more than once since the attack in 2020, and that the signs of destruction can be seen everywhere, but especially in the church premises.

“All that is left are ruins,” the charity foundation that supports the persecuted church across the world says.

Mocímboa da Praia is mostly Muslim, ACN reports, adding that the few Christians who remained and those who returned to Mocímboa gather near the scorched church walls or under nearby mango trees to pray every Sunday. 

There are no Priests or women and men Religious left in the town, which, according to the Catholic charity foundation, “is under constant threat.” The charity foundation reports that about 60 percent of Christians who fled following the attacks have come back and are courageously gathering to pray. 

Vicente Gabriel, the Catechist of the Church, is quoted telling ACN that he felt compelled to return to the place he has called home since he moved there almost 20 years ago. 

“I am a Christian from Mocímboa da Praia. I was baptized in this parish in 1995, I was confirmed, and I married here in 2019. When the terrorists occupied the town, the parish was abandoned. We left for Pemba, but then we returned. Now we are here, but we have nothing,” Vicente says.

He adds that despite the destruction, faith remains alive. “We meet here every Sunday, under the mango trees, and we pray with the community. Conditions are terrible, but we don’t give up. We continue to practice our faith, and we give thanks to God,” the Mozambican Catechist says.

The faithful at the Church of the Immaculate Conception sit under trees, on the floor, or on rocks at the premises of the Church which, according to Vicente, is now overgrown.

“The building is not salvageable; we’re not talking about a reconstruction, but about a completely new building,” he explains.

“We sit here in the shade of the trees, but we don’t even have chairs. Nonetheless, we continue to pray to God. Later, if all goes well, God will provide us with a way to acquire chairs,” says Vicente Gabriel.

In his appeal for prayers for the Church in the embattled Mozambican, the Catechist says, “We must have faith. One day the parish of the Immaculate Conception might return to what it once was; we have that hope. God is everything. We have courage, we cannot abandon God because of these events: these are all signs of life.”