“The whole country is in shock," a spokesman for the country's bishops said.

A national board reported "progress in developing robust safeguarding structures.”

The process to beatify and eventually canonize the slain archbishop has been “unblocked.”

For nearly two decades the people of the Congo have known nothing but conflict.

"We must forgive and fight for union to prevail over division," the bishops said.

The peace advocate Immaculée Ilibagiza became an American citizen on April 17.