South Sudan mourns slain nuns.

Agenzia Fides – Juba, South Sudan.

The two were victims of an ambush along South Sudan's Juba-Nimule highway on 16 August. Sr Mary Daniel Abut and Sr Regina Roba were part of a group of nine sisters travelling together in a mini-bus when gunmen attacked them.

Unknown gunmen killed the nuns

"Our former Superior General, Sr. Mary Daniel Abut, who served the Congregation of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from 2006 to 2018, and Sr. Regina Roba were killed cold-bloodedly on their way back to Juba after celebrations of the centenary of the parish of the Assumption of Our Lady," narrated Sister Amaa.

Following the ambush by unknown armed men, says Sister Amaa, the sisters "tried to escape and hid in the surrounding bushes." The criminals managed to find the two nuns and killed them in cold blood.

Five days of mourning

The Archdiocese of Juba has announced five days of mourning throughout the diocese.

"On behalf of the Administration of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba, I wish to inform the public that all Catholic ecclesial institutions (universities, seminaries, colleagues, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba will be closed for four days to commemorate the late Sister Mary and Sister Regina from today 17 August until 20 August. Work will resume on 23 August," reads a statement from Fr. Samuel Abe, Secretary-General of the Archdiocese of Juba.

Sister Mary Daniel was the headmistress of the Usra Tuna School in Juba. Sister Regina was a tutor and administrator at the Catholic Health Training Institute (CHTI) in the Catholic Diocese of Wau.

The Requiem Mass and burial will take place on 20 August at the parish of the Cathedral of St Theresa-Kator.