Despite the dangers, crowds gathered along the roads to pay their last respects to Father Crépin as his body was transported to the site of his funeral.
Father Crépin Martial Monga, vicar of the Catholic parish of St. John the Baptist in Zémio, in southeastern Central African Republic (CAR), was killed on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Zémio is a particularly dangerous area in an already unstable country. Several armed groups have been active there for the past three decades, and in May of 2025, a full-scale revolt against the government began.
Armed men allegedly gunned down the priest during the evening. Details of the killing are scarce, but sources on the ground tell Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that there is no doubt that the murder was intentional, and not an accident.
Bishop Aurelio Gazzera of Bangassou, an ACN project partner with 35 years of experience as a missionary in the CAR, lauded Fr. Crépin’s commitment to peace and reconciliation in the area. “At some points, he and the parish cared for more than 3,000 refugees at the mission. This work was very important. In addition to this, he maintained many contacts with various rebel leaders and the authorities, always striving to mediate and find resolutions for the conflicts,” the bishop said, in a conversation with ACN.
“We must continue what he began,” says bishop.
Photo credit: Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)
Some in the diocese believe that Fr. Crépin may have been murdered precisely because of his peacemaking efforts.
The bishop explained that recovering the priest’s body involved a difficult and perilous operation, given the terrain and presence of armed fighters in the region.
“The roads are in a terrible state, and very dangerous. I was very moved by the fact that as we were transporting his remains, crowds of people gathered along the road to bid him farewell and pay their respects. These were deeply moving scenes that reflected the affection and respect the local people felt for him. There were also huge crowds at the funeral [July 1, at Saint Peter Claver Cathedral in Bangassou].”
“There is a fear of losing heart, of letting all the good work grind to a halt, but this morning I told the community and my priests that this seed which falls and dies bears fruit, and that we must not lose heart; we must not, we cannot allow this sacrifice to be in vain. We must continue what he began,” said Bishop Gazzera, who is an ACN project partner.
