Pope Leo prays for Tanzania
By: Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV has prayed for Tanzania following days of election-related violence in the East African nation.
The global head of the more than one billion Catholics used his Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square to appeal for peace and an end to the unrest.
“Let us also pray for Tanzania, where recent clashes have broken out, leaving many victims. I urge everyone to avoid all forms of violence and follow the path of dialogue,” Pope Leo said in his homily to thousands of pilgrims.
Several people are feared dead and many injured following the chaos that marred the elections held on October 29, 2025.
The Tanzanian government has yet to provide official statistics on fatalities and injuries, though reports indicate that several people may have died.
At the same time, Vatican News reported that Pope Leo XIV appealed for peace in war-torn Sudan on Sunday, condemning gruesome violence against civilians and calling for the removal of barriers to humanitarian aid.
Sudan is currently facing the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with about 14 million people displaced out of a population of 51 million. Famine is widespread, and outbreaks of cholera and other deadly diseases are on the rise.