Islamists reduce to rubble historic Christian church in Mozambique
Militants set fire to a church, a kindergarten, and a priests’ residence, and forced local residents to listen to extremist speeches.
The Islamic State attacked the Catholic Church of St. Louis de Montfort in the village of Mingoene, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique. This was reported by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
According to ACN, an armed group of Islamists set fire to the church, the kindergarten, and the priests’ house. At gunpoint, local residents were forced to listen to extremist speeches, after which the attackers left the village. The priests from Cameroon, who were away on a missionary trip at the time, were unharmed, and no one was killed.
Archbishop Inácio Saure of Maputo, who heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Mozambique, condemned the violence and called for an end to acts committed “in the name of religion.” He stressed that Muslims and Christians in the country had lived side by side for centuries, and that such attacks destroy traditions of good neighborliness.
Bishop António Juliasse, who visited the site of the attack, called the destruction of the church “a scene of horror.” According to him, residents are deeply shaken but remain firm in faith. The bishop noted that this is already the ninth year in which militants have carried out attacks on parishes of the eparchy.
As the UOJ reported, ISIS supporters carried out a terrorist attack at an anti-Islam protest in New York.
