The dicastery said his death leaves Mozambique’s Church without the Bishop of Quelimane, Apostolic Administrator of Beira and secretary-general of the national bishops’ conference.
Afonso had been appointed Bishop of Quelimane on July 25, 2025, after serving from 2017 at the same Vatican dicastery and being named auxiliary bishop of Maputo in September 2023.
His April 10, 2026 appointment to oversee Beira meant he was simultaneously leading two diocesan jurisdictions, underscoring the scale of the loss for the Church in Mozambique.