Historic Catholic Parish Destroyed in Mozambique Terror Attack as Community “Remains in Shock”

Insurgents destroy historic parish in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, leaving community in shock amid ongoing violence and displacement crisis.

Newsroom (04/05/2026 Gaudium Press) The Catholic Diocese of Pemba in northern Mozambique is reeling after a terrorist attack destroyed the historic St. Louis de Montfort Parish in Meza, Cabo Delgado Province, leaving the local community “in shock,” according to Bishop António Juliasse Ferreira Sandramo.

In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International on May 1, Bishop Juliasse confirmed that insurgents attacked the parish on the afternoon of April 30, razing the church and surrounding structures. The parish, established in 1946, has long stood as a symbol of Catholic presence in the region.

“The terrorists arrived around 4 pm and entered the Parish of Saint Louis of Montfort,” the bishop said. “The parish was attacked and completely burned down by the insurgents. The scene was one of terror: houses and infrastructure destroyed, the historic parish reduced to rubble.”

According to the bishop, civilians were captured during the assault and forced to listen to hate speeches delivered by the attackers. Despite the violence, the Cameroonian missionaries serving the parish were not present at the time and are safe.

“The missionaries are safe, but the community remains in shock,” Bishop Juliasse said.

Testimony from Sister Laura Malnati, provincial superior of the Comboni Missionary Sisters in Mozambique, corroborates the scale and brutality of the нападение. Speaking to Italy’s Avvenire newspaper, she described how militants from Ahlu al-Sunna wa al-Jama’a, a group affiliated with the so-called Islamic State and active in the region since 2017, attacked the village of Meza in Ancuabe district.

“They set the village structures on fire,” she said. “Fortunately, the fathers were warned in time and managed to leave Meza before the terrorists arrived.”

In addition to the church, militants destroyed homes and other parish buildings, including facilities linked to the local Catholic mission.

The attack marks the latest episode in a prolonged insurgency that has gripped Cabo Delgado for nearly nine years. According to ACN, the destruction of St. Louis de Montfort Parish adds to a growing list of religious sites targeted in the region.

During a December 2025 visit by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Bishop Juliasse detailed the extent of the devastation. He reported that more than 300 Catholics—including catechists, parish animators, and lay faithful—have been killed, many by decapitation, since the insurgency began in October 2017.

The bishop also noted that at least 117 churches and chapels have been destroyed in the Diocese of Pemba, including 23 in 2025 alone.

The broader conflict has had a devastating human toll. The War in Cabo Delgado has claimed more than 6,200 lives and displaced over 1.3 million people. In 2025 alone, more than 110,000 people were forced to flee their homes, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Despite the destruction, Bishop Juliasse emphasized the resilience of the local Christian community.

“But the faith of this people of God will never be burned; it is rebuilt daily,” he said.

He also renewed calls for global attention and support for those affected by the violence.

“We ask for attention and solidarity with the victims of Meza. For almost nine years now, chapels and churches have been burned in the Diocese of Pemba.”

Cabo Delgado remains one of Mozambique’s poorest regions, despite its wealth of natural resources, including natural gas and mineral deposits that have drawn international investment. The ongoing violence continues to compound humanitarian challenges in the region, leaving communities vulnerable and displaced.

• Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News and ACI Africa

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