Mozambique bishop shot dead in episcopal residence in suspected armed attack 

Bishop Osório Citora Afonso of the Catholic Diocese of Quelimane in Mozambique has been found dead following a gunshot incident at his episcopal residence in the early hours of Saturday, 6 June 2026. He was 54.

The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Mozambique’s Zambézia Province has confirmed that the Bishop, the fourth Ordinary of Quelimane, died from gunshot wounds sustained during what is believed to have been a violent intrusion.

According to SERNIC spokesperson Maximino Amílcar, an undetermined number of assailants forced entry into the residence and opened fire, striking the Bishop in the chest.

“The Service has already initiated investigative procedures to clarify the case and identify the perpetrators,” he said.

The President of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM), Archbishop Inácio Saúre, confirmed the death, describing it as occurring “under unusual circumstances that are still to be clarified.”

He appealed for restraint, urging the faithful to remain calm. “At this very troubled moment, I appeal for serenity in faith and fraternal solidarity,” he said in a statement issued on 6 June.

Members of the College of Consultors of the Diocese of Quelimane expressed “profound sorrow and grief” at what they described as the sudden passing of the Bishop at the Episcopal House.

They announced that a requiem Mass for the repose of his soul would be celebrated at 6:00 p.m. on 6 June at the Cathedral Parish of Our Lady of Deliverance in Quelimane with further funeral arrangements to be communicated in due course.

Bishop Afonso, a member of the Institute of Consolata Missionaries (IMC), was ordained a priest in November 2002 after theological formation in Kinshasa, DR Congo. His ecclesial service spanned parish ministry, seminary formation, and work at the Apostolic Nunciature.

In 2017, he was appointed to the Dicastery for Evangelization in Rome, before being named Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo in 2023. He was consecrated in January 2024 by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

He was appointed Bishop of Quelimane in July 2025 and had also been serving as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Beira since April 2026.

Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo described his death as an “irreparable loss,” praising him for his “devotion to humility, pastoral dedication, and preaching of the values of peace and reconciliation.”

In recent weeks, Bishop Afonso had been outspoken about rising violence in Cabo Delgado Province, warning of worsening insecurity and humanitarian suffering linked to insurgent attacks.

“The situation seems out of control,” he told Agenzia Fides on 12 May. “The population is terrified.”

Days later, he urged urgent action, saying: “The Church cannot remain silent in the face of violence in Cabo Delgado.”

Investigations into the circumstances of his death are ongoing, as the Catholic Church in Mozambique enters a period of mourning for a bishop widely regarded for his pastoral commitment and advocacy for peace.