Pope Leo XIV honors Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui, a Congolese martyr, praying for peace in Kivu and Africa, highlighting his witness against corruption.
Newsroom, June 16, 2025, Gaudium Press – On June 16, 2025, Pope Leo XIV met with pilgrims in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace to celebrate the beatification of Floribert Bwana Chui, a 26-year-old Congolese layman and martyr. In the presence of Bwana Chui’s mother, Gertrude Kamara Ntawiha, and his brothers, Tresor and Jean-Claude, the pope prayed for the intercession of the newly beatified martyr to bring peace to the violence-torn Kivu region of eastern Congo and across Africa.
“This African martyr, on a continent rich in young people, shows how they can be a ferment of ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace,” Pope Leo XIV said during the audience, speaking in French. He greeted Bwana Chui’s family as he entered the hall, presenting them with special rosaries.
A Martyr of Corruption
Floribert Bwana Chui, a member of the Congolese branch of the Community of Sant’Egidio, was described as a “martyr of corruption” for his steadfast refusal to accept bribes as a customs officer in Goma. After graduating with a law degree in 2006, Bwana Chui became known for rejecting bribes to allow harmful or spoiled food into the country. His integrity led to his kidnapping on July 7, 2007. His body was discovered two days later, bearing signs of torture.
Quoting Pope Francis’s 2023 remarks during a visit to Congo, Pope Leo highlighted Bwana Chui’s moral courage: “He could easily have turned a blind eye; nobody would have found out, and he might even have gotten ahead as a result. But, since he was a Christian, he prayed. He thought of others, and he chose to be honest, saying no to the filth of corruption. That is what it means to keep your hands clean, for hands that traffic in easy money get stained with blood.”
Beatification Ceremony
The beatification ceremony took place on June 15, 2025, at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Pope Leo XIV noted that Bwana Chui’s resistance to corruption was rooted in a conscience shaped by prayer, the Word of God, and communion with his community. He lived the spirituality of the Community of Sant’Egidio, which Pope Francis summarized with three “P’s”: prayer, poor, peace.
A Life Dedicated to the Poor
Bwana Chui’s service focused on street children in Goma, many displaced and orphaned by the war in Kivu. “He loved them with the charity of Christ,” Pope Leo said. “He was interested in them and concerned about their human and Christian formation.” In a region marked by violence, Bwana Chui pursued peace through meekness, serving the poor and fostering friendship in a divided society.
“This Congolese layman highlights the precious value of the witness of lay people and young people,” the pope emphasized, noting that Bwana Chui’s strength came from fidelity to prayer and the Gospel. He recalled the martyr’s trust in Jesus’ words: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
A Prayer for Peace
Pope Leo XIV concluded by praying, “Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Blessed Floribert, may the longed-for peace in Kivu, Congo, and all of Africa be realized soon.” He underscored that no land is abandoned by God and that Bwana Chui’s life offers hope for a peaceful future.
Raju Hasmukh with Sources from
– Vatican News. (2025, June 16). Pope Leo XIV: Blessed Floribert, a model of peace for Africa’s youth.
– Community of Sant’Egidio. (2025, June 15). Beatification of Floribert Bwana Chui: A martyr of corruption.
– Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. (2025). Decree on the Beatification of Floribert Bwana Chui.
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