Pope Leo XIV Expresses ‘Deep Pain’ Over Killing of Christian Worshippers in DRC Attack

Pope Leo XIV mourns DRC church massacre, urges peace and diplomacy on Helsinki Accords anniversary.

Pope Leo XIV has expressed deep sorrow over the recent attack on Christian worshippers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, carried out by an affiliate of the so-called Islamic State.
The tragic incident occurred during an all-night vigil in a church located in Ituri province, where worshippers had gathered for prayer. Armed militants from the Allied Democratic Forces launched a brutal assault using machetes. Among the more than 40 victims were nine children.

Reading from a statement in Italian, Pope Leo declared: “I renew my deep pain for the brutal terrorist attack that occurred on the night between 26 and 27 July in Komanda, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where more than 40 Christians were killed in a church during a prayer vigil and in their homes."

He continued: “While I entrust the victims to God’s loving mercy, I pray for the wounded and for Christians who around the world continue to suffer violence and persecution, exhorting all those with responsibility at the local and international level to collaborate to prevent similar tragedies.”

The pope’s remarks were delivered during his weekly general audience on Wednesday, marking the resumption of his public appearances following a weeks-long summer break.

Pope Leo also used the occasion to call for a revitalized commitment to diplomacy as a means of resolving international conflicts. His appeal came as he marked the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords—a landmark Cold War-era agreement that played a significant role in promoting global security and human rights.

Concluding the audience, Pope Leo reminded the faithful that August 1 commemorates the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, the product of a 35-nation summit in Finland that eventually led to the creation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

“Today, more than ever, it is imperative to cherish the spirit of Helsinki, persevere in dialogue, strengthen cooperation and make diplomacy the preferred way to prevent and resolve conflicts,” the pope said.

At the height of Cold War détente in the 1970s, Finnish President Urho Kekkonen hosted the U.S.-Soviet summit where U.S. President Gerald Ford, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, and other world leaders signed the historic agreement, which promoted peace, East-West engagement, European security, and the defense of human rights.

Pope Leo reflected on the lasting significance of the accord, stating that it “inaugurated a new geopolitical season, favoring a rapprochement between East and West. It marked a renewed interest in human rights with particular attention to religious freedom, considered one of the fundamentals of the nascent architecture of cooperation from Vancouver to Vladivostok.”

With Russia’s war continuing in Ukraine, Pope Leo noted that the Holy See had participated actively in the 1975 Finnish summit through its future secretary of state, Archbishop Agostino Casaroli. Casaroli became widely known for championing Ostpolitik—a policy of openness and dialogue with Eastern Europe.

St. Peter's Square was particularly full during the audience, as tens of thousands of young Catholic pilgrims were in Rome for a weeklong Holy Year celebration.