[ACNS] The Archbishop of Sudan, part of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan, has been awarded this year’s Pro Fide award (Latin for “For Faith”) by the Finnish based religious liberty group Friends of the Martyred Church.

Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo travelled to Finland last month to receive the award and to give a speech entitled "the Suffering Church’s message for us."

“I am very much honoured to receive this award from you,” Archbishop Kondo said. “This Award is not only to me but it is for all the faithful Sudanese Pastors who work in a very difficult situations and some with no salary!

“It is for the Pastors who followed their flocks to Diaspora. It is for those children being bombed in Nuba Mountains & Blue Nile and women being raped in Darfur. It is for the Sudanese refugees across the world.

“It is my prayer that peace with justice will reign in Sudan and South Sudan.”

The award was presented by Johan Candelin, the founder and chairman of the Friends of the Martyred Church organisation. The organisation has 6,000 supporters and is active in 30 countries across the world speaking out for the persecuted church.