Overview

• Floribert Bwana Chui Bin Kositi was killed in 2007 after refusing a bribe to allow spoiled rice into Goma, a stand grounded in his Christian faith and commitment to the poor.
• Pope Francis recognized Kositi as a martyr late last year, exempting him from the usual miracle requirement and advancing his cause toward canonization.
• On June 15, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro presided over the beatification ceremony at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, drawing Congolese pilgrims and church leaders.
• Kositi’s recognition serves as a call to young people in Congo to uphold honesty and resist endemic corruption, a challenge underscored by the country’s low Transparency International ranking.
• Bishops and clergy say the beatification brings renewed hope to communities facing violent conflict and humanitarian crises in eastern Congo.