Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, the Archbishop of Juba, is South Sudan’s first ever cardinal, known for his peace and reconciliation efforts in the war-torn country.

Mulla was born on January 10, 1964, in Ido, Eastern Equatoria, Sudan (now South Sudan), in the diocese of Torit.

He attended the minor seminaries of Torit and of Wau, followed by the Saint Paul National Major Seminary. He studied philosophy in the seminary of Bussere (Wau), from 1984 to 1987, and theology in Munuki (Juba), from 1988 to 1991. He received priestly ordination on April 21, 1991, for the diocese of Torit.

Mulla pursued higher education at the Pontifical Urbanian University in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in dogmatic theology from 1993 to 1997. His doctoral thesis, titled “Towards religious dialogue and reconciliation in Sudan,” reflects his early commitment to peace-building efforts.

After completing his studies, he returned to South Sudan and taught at the seminary in Juba, eventually becoming its rector.

Mulla has served as a parish priest in several dioceses, and between 1997 until 2016, he worked in various positions: as a lecturer and dean of the Saint Paul National Major Seminary in Juba; teacher at the Comboni College for Adults and Teachers- Evening; lecturer and consultant of the local Sudanese organization for non-violence and democracy (SONAD); as founder, consultant and counsellor for the local humanitarian NGO, the Horiok Community Association and Development (HODA); and from 2013 to 2016, consultant and chaplain of Women’s Group.

He has also served as a consultant and chaplain of the Women Advancement Organization at Guddele (WAO) in Juba; assistant vice chancellor for Administration and Finance of the Catholic University of South Sudan; and deputy director of the Institute of Applied Research and Community Outreach Catholic University of South Sudan (LARCO).

On January 3, 2019, Pope Francis appointed Mulla as the Bishop of Torit, a diocese that had remained vacant for over five years. However, his tenure in this position was brief, as Francis soon appointed him to the role of Archbishop of Juba on December 12, 2019.

Mulla’s appointment as Archbishop of Juba was met with significant opposition from some local groups. The resistance was reportedly rooted in ethnic divisions, with some members of the Bari community opposing the appointment of Mulla, who is from the Otuho ethnic group. Allegations of improper influence and unsuitability were raised, but Pope Francis reviewed these claims and confirmed Mulla’s appointment on March 6, 2020.

Despite the initial challenges, Cardinal Mulla has played a crucial role in peace-building efforts in South Sudan as part of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference. In February 2023, he hosted Pope Francis during the pontiff’s visit to South Sudan, which brought him into the global spotlight.

On July 9, 2023, coinciding with South Sudan’s twelfth anniversary of independence, Pope Francis announced Mulla’s elevation to the rank of cardinal. The appointment was seen as recognition of his efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation in the conflict-ridden nation. On September 30, 2023, he was officially created cardinal in the Vatican, becoming the first Cardinal from South Sudan.

Cardinal Mulla has expressed positive views on synodality. “My hope is very wide,” he said ahead of the October 2023 assembly of the Synod on Synodality. “It is a way of participating, it is a way of communion, it is a way of mission together — in very simple terms — we should hope that this synod will bring a lot of things that will help us understand our faith in modern times. And we would like to say that the synod may be a way of solving the many problems, the many challenges, that the universal Church is facing in each local state and [universally].”

While not directly addressing same-sex blessings, Cardinal Mulla likely opposes Fiducia Supplicans, in common with other African bishops. Homosexual acts are criminal offenses in South Sudan and in 2023, before he was a cardinal, Mulla told The New York Times that he was sceptical about Western views on sexuality being imposed on African cultures. “I believe that these situations cannot be equalized,” he said, adding that such matters should be treated differently from country to country. He emphasized respecting human dignity while noting that such issues were not a primary concern in South Sudan given other challenges the country faces.

Cardinal Mulla has emphasized the importance of faith in South Sudan and sees his elevation to the cardinalate as recognition of the Catholic faith in his country. He views his role as serving not just himself but all of South Sudan.