Church Marks Ten Years Since Missionaries of Charity Were Killed in Yemen
The Catholic Church has commemorated the tenth anniversary of the killing of four Missionaries of Charity sisters who lost their lives during an attack on a care home in Aden, Yemen, in 2016. A special Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi by Bishop Paolo Martinelli of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia, bringing together members of the Catholic community to remember the sisters and their service to the poor. The anniversary has renewed attention to the sacrifice of the four women whose mission of charity and care for vulnerable people continued despite the difficult and often dangerous circumstances facing Christian workers in the region.
The four sisters who were killed during the attack were Sr. Reginette and Sr. Margarita from Rwanda, Sr. Anselma from India and Sr. Judith from Kenya. They were serving in a nursing home run by the Missionaries of Charity where elderly and disabled residents were cared for regardless of religion or background. The attack was carried out by a militant group that stormed the facility and killed twelve staff members representing several nationalities and faiths. During the same incident a Salesian priest working in the community, Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, was kidnapped and held captive for more than a year before being released in September 2017.
Speaking during the memorial Mass, Bishop Martinelli described the witness of the sisters as a continuing sign of hope, particularly during a time when the Gulf region is experiencing renewed tensions and conflict. He said the sisters dedicated their lives to serving the poorest people without discrimination and their example remains a powerful testimony to the message of Christian love. According to the bishop, the presence of Missionaries of Charity still working in Yemen today shows that the Church continues its commitment to those who suffer most, even in environments marked by instability and hardship.
The work carried out by the sisters in Aden reflected the spirit of the congregation founded by Mother Teresa, which is devoted to serving the poorest members of society. The home for elderly residents where the sisters worked had been established in 1992 following a request from local authorities, continuing a charitable presence that had begun in Yemen in the early 1970s. Their mission focused on providing care for elderly people who often had no family support, offering medical assistance, food and companionship. Many of those served in the home were Muslims, highlighting the interreligious dimension of their work.
Images taken after the attack showed the sisters wearing simple kitchen aprons over their religious habits at the moment of their death, reflecting the humble service that defined their daily lives. Their work involved feeding residents, tending to wounds and comforting those who were ill or abandoned. For many in the local community their dedication had earned deep respect because it was motivated not by attempts to convert others but by a desire to serve anyone in need. Their example continues to be remembered by Christians and non Christians alike as a witness to compassion and human dignity.
Church leaders say the memory of the four sisters continues to inspire believers to live their faith through acts of service and solidarity with the poor. Bishop Martinelli recalled earlier appeals for prayers that the sisters’ sacrifice might help bring peace to Yemen and the wider Middle East. Although the region still faces significant challenges, the mission begun by the Missionaries of Charity continues today through communities serving the poor in the cities of Hodeidah and Sana’a. Their work remains a quiet but enduring sign of hope in a country that has suffered years of conflict and humanitarian hardship.
