The Sudan Council of Churches held a prayer gathering in Khartoum on Saturday, bringing together Christian leaders and representatives of different denominations to pray for peace and an end to suffering caused by the country’s war.
The gathering was held at the Khartoum International Fairgrounds under the slogan, “Come with one heart… together we pray for Sudan”.
Sudan’s army chief and head of the Sovereign Council, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, attended the event, along with Sovereign Council Deputy Chairman Malik Agar.
Addressing the gathering, Gen. Burhan called for peace, unity and an end to hatred and division.
He said religious teachings promote “love, peace and brotherhood” and urged Sudanese to reject those who call for war, division, discrimination or destruction.
“Everyone who calls for war, we stand against him,” Burhan said.
He thanked the organisers and participants, saying prayers for peace are important for Sudan and its people.
Burhan also said the gathering demonstrated national unity, declaring that “Sudan is one country, and the people of Sudan are one people, and the Sudanese army is one army”.
He prayed for the armed forces and said he hopes they would defeat those seeking to undermine security and spread division in Sudan.
Malik Agar described the gathering as a reflection of national unity, saying peace is a value shared by different religions.
Church leaders led prayers for peace and security across Sudan, an end to suffering and the recovery of communities affected by the conflict.
The head of the Sudan Council of Churches called on attendees to observe a moment of silence for people who had died during the war.
Some religious leaders had previously raised concerns about the gathering and the involvement of the authorities, with disagreements reported over its organisation.
Christians are a minority in predominantly Muslim Sudan. Pew Research Center estimates based on 2020 data put the Christian share of the population at 5.4%.
The gathering comes as Sudan remains embroiled in a war that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The conflict has displaced millions of people and created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
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