Senior leaders of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) movement on Sunday attended a solemn requiem mass held in honor of the late Monsignor Faustin Ngabu, Bishop Emeritus of Goma, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph Sanctuary.
Among those present were AFC/M23 Coordinator Corneille Nangaa, his deputy Bertrand Bisimwa, Governor Erasto Musanga, and Mayor Julien Katembo, alongside several politico-military officials of the movement.
The mass, attended by hundreds of faithful, clergy, and local dignitaries, was celebrated as a tribute to Bishop Ngabu’s decades of service to the Catholic Church and his spiritual leadership in North Kivu.
The late bishop, remembered as a man of peace and reconciliation, played a central role in fostering dialogue during periods of tension and conflict in eastern Congo.
During the ceremony, the AFC/M23 delegation joined the congregation in prayers and extended condolences to the Catholic community and the family of the deceased. The group described Bishop Ngabu as “a servant of God whose commitment to truth and peace transcended divisions.”
The visible presence of the movement’s top hierarchy underscored the significance of the event at a time when Goma remains under the effective control of AFC/M23 forces amid ongoing political and security tensions in the region.
Monsignor Ngabu, who led the Diocese of Goma for several decades before his retirement, passed away last week. His funeral rites drew broad participation from across the religious and civic spectrum, reflecting his enduring influence in the life of the province.
