Pope Leo calls for an end to violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Vatican City, December 14, 2025: Pope Leo has called on those involved in the renewed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to halt the violence and return to dialogue, expressing deep concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in the country’s eastern region.

Speaking at the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pope said he felt close to the suffering people of eastern Congo and appealed to all parties involved to “cease all forms of violence and to seek constructive dialogue, respecting the ongoing peace process.”

His appeal followed reports of intense fighting in and around Uvira, a strategic city in eastern Congo. Regional officials said a fresh offensive killed more than 400 people and displaced around 200,000 others. The violence erupted just days after the city fell to the M23 group, which is reportedly supported by Rwanda, despite a recent peace agreement brokered by the United States.

The Pope’s remarks underscored growing international concern over the fragile security situation in the region, where repeated clashes have undermined peace efforts and forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Remembering newly beatified martyrs

During the Angelus address, Pope Leo also turned his attention to two beatifications that took place on Saturday, 13 December, in Spain and France. He invited the faithful to give thanks for the witness of men and women who gave their lives for the faith during periods of violent persecution.

In Jaén, Spain, the Church beatified Father Emanuele Izquierdo and fifty-eight companions, along with Father Antonio Montañés Chiquero and sixty-four companions. The Pope recalled that all of them were killed in hatred of the faith during the religious persecution that took place between 1936 and 1938.

Pope Leo also referred to the beatification in Paris of Fr. Raymond Cayré, Gérard-Martin Cendrier of the Order of Friars Minor, seminarian Roger Vallé, layman Jean Mestre, and forty-six companions. They were killed in hatred of the faith during the Nazi occupation of France in 1944–45.

The Pope described the newly beatified as “courageous witnesses to the Gospel,” who were persecuted and killed for remaining close to their people and faithful to the Church. He encouraged the faithful to praise the Lord for their testimony, noting that their lives continue to speak powerfully to the Church today.

Through his Angelus appeal, Pope Leo once again linked the call for peace in today’s conflicts with the enduring witness of those who remained faithful to the Gospel in the face of violence and persecution.

Pope Leo calls for an end to violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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