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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Home Newsfeed Bishops call for prayer and aid for Bukavu

Bishops call for prayer and aid for Bukavu

St Davids news Posted: 11 April 2025

Church in Wales bishops have issued a joint plea to the international community to come to the aid of the people of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Anglican Diocese of Bukavu, in the eastern part of the country, has been a Companion Diocese to St Davids since the early 2010s. In recent months, Rwandan-backed insurgents have been capturing territory - iinckluduing Bukavu City - and conducting an intensive campaign of terror.

The Bishops' call is in response to an open letter sent by diocesan contacts in Bukavu detailing the deteriorating situation and calling for solidarity and support in the midst of what they call "a humanitarian crisis that demands global attention."

Read the letter in full

The bishops' statement says: "Our ecumenical partners in Bukavu have brought us the most distressing accounts of violence, kidnapping, rape, looting, food shortages, and the denial of basic services as the humanitarian and security situation continues to deteriorate, with a million people currently displaced.

“Amid this appalling situation, churches in the Diocese of Bukavu are working to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, heal the sick and injured and to try to restore peace, providing a shining example of Christian witness.

“They need our prayers, and our practical help. We urge all those who are touched by their plight to support agencies such as Christian Aid, who are working to alleviate the distress.

“And we call on governments, international organizations, and all people of goodwill to help through donations, advocacy, or direct giving, in order to bring the suffering to an end and restore a sustainable peace.”