During his Nov. 2 Angelus address Pope Leo XIV decried the recent violence in Sudan amid its civil war, and he urged the faithful to pray for the deceased and those suffering from the conflict.
“With great sorrow I am following the tragic news coming from Sudan, especially from the city of El Fasher in the war-torn region of North Darfur,” he said after leading the Angelus. “Indiscriminate violence against women and children, attacks on unarmed civilians, and serious obstacles to humanitarian aid are causing unbearable suffering for a population already exhausted by long months of conflict.”
Vatican News reported Nov. 1 that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have clashed with the Sudanese Army for two and a half years, captured the city of el-Fasher within the past week. Denise Brown, the United Nation’s head of humanitarian operations in Sudan, said that the UN has received reports “of mass killings” in the city but have been unable to verify them.
“When the fighting intensified,” Brown said, according to Vatican News, “we began to receive credible reports of summary executions of non-armed civilians – particularly men lying on the ground being shot – we also have received credible reports of summary executions of civilians as they try and flee the fighting (…). We also received reports, which we have not yet been able to confirm, of mass killings (…). We believe that the RSF has tightened the cord around that city, and people are actually not being allowed to leave. So, the situation is very bad.”
In his Nov. 2 Angelus address, Pope Leo urged the faithful to pray for those who have died from the conflict in Sudan.
“Let us pray that the Lord may receive the deceased with His embrace, strengthen those who are suffering, and move the hearts of those responsible,” he said. “I renew my heartfelt appeal to all parties involved to agree to a ceasefire and to urgently open humanitarian corridors. Finally, I call on the international community to act with determination and generosity, to provide assistance and to support those working tirelessly to bring relief.”
The Pontiff also called for the faithful to pray for Tanzania, saying that deadly clashes broke out after the country’s recent elections.
“I urge everyone to avoid all forms of violence and to follow the path of dialogue,” he said.
Before leading the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo spoke about the Solemnity of All Saints, All Souls Day, and the resurrection.
In the month of November and especially on All Souls’ Day, Catholics pray at cemeteries for the souls of the faithful departed. Referencing this tradition, Pope Leo noted, “May visiting the cemetery, where silence interrupts the hustle and bustle of life, invite us all to remember and to wait in hope. As we say in the Creed, ‘I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.'”
Concluding, he encouraged the faithful to reflect on this hope.
“May the familiar voice of Jesus reach us, and reach everyone, because it is the only one that comes from the future,” he said. “May He call us by name, prepare a place for us, free us from that sense of helplessness that tempts us to give up on life. May Mary, the woman of Holy Saturday, teach us once again to hope.”
