He Pope Francisco arrived this Friday at South Sudana country that is among the poorest on the planet and it is devastated by civil warfor a visit in which he will promote peace and reconciliation.
The pontiff arrived at 2:45 p.m. (12:45 p.m. GMT) in the South Sudanese capital, Juba, where it will remain for 48 hours. In the afternoon he will pronounce a first speech before the authorities and the diplomatic corps.
In this way, the Pope began the second and final stage of his African pilgrimage in South Sudan, where he hopes boost the stalled peace process of the young country and draw international attention to the continued fighting and worsening humanitarian crisis.
Francis had one last act in kinshasa with the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo before flying to Juba. There, he will join the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welbyand the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rev Iain Greenshieldsin a novel ecumenical initiative for peace.
Together they represent the religious leadership of this overwhelmingly Christian nation, which is the youngest in the world after independence from Sudanwith a Muslim majority, in 2011. But the country has been besieged by the civil war and conflicts. Christian leaders hope to launch a joint appeal to political leaders to put aside their differences and work for the good of their people.
The continuing clashes, including the ones this week left 27 dead in the southhave displaced about two million people and obstructed the implementation of a peace agreement reached in 2018. But residents said the first-ever papal visit to South Sudan gave them hope.
“The Pope will bring us peace”said Monica Lado, 40, from Yuba, on the eve of the arrival of the three religious.
A group of about 80 Catholics from the city of Rumbek, in the center of the country, who During nine days they covered an estimated 300 kilometers on foot., arrived in Yuba to cheers on Thursday. The pilgrims were sore, tired and had blisters, but indicated that they hoped to attend the great mass that the pontiff will officiate on Sunday and bring your blessings back to your homes and families.
“Since the Pope is coming, I think what is killing us will end”, said a smiling Victoria Yar, 58, sitting on a plastic chair to rest after the long journey.
Another of the pilgrims in the group, Mary Yom, a mother who lost two of her eight children because of the violence, he pointed out that “our country is being destroyed by the conflict and we hope that the pope will come with peaceand no one will be killed again.”
Francis and Welby first announced their plans to go to South Sudan in 2017, but security issues repeatedly thwarted the trip. In an effort to move the process forward, Francis presided over a joint prayer at the Vatican in 2019 and knelt and kissed the feet of rival South Sudanese leaders, pleading for peace.
But the fighting continues, in proof of the violence that reigns in some communities sometimes dominated by guns and ethnic tensions in one of the poorest countries in the world. At least 27 people lost their lives this week in Kajo-kejiin the state of Central Equatoria, in the latest episode of communal violence between cattle herders and other residents.
He International Committee of the Red Cross reported this week that the flow of injured patients has increased in recent months due to the upsurge in clashes throughout the country. “We see horrific injuries and air transport is often the only way to save the lives of patients in remote areas,” said the head of the ICRC delegation in Juba, pierre dorbes.
During his stay in the capital, the pontiff is expected to repeat his call to the country’s leaders and parties to commit to advance the agreement and put an end to corrupt practices. The delays have already forced the postponement of the first presidential elections for another two years.
In addition, you are expected to ask for the end of continuous fighting and of the terrible situation that women are going through in the nation.
(With information from AFP and AP)
Keep reading:
Pope Francis asked the bishops of the Congo to work to achieve reconciliation in the country
More than a million people attended the mass of Pope Francis in the Congo
Pope Francis arrived in the Congo and will meet the country’s president in his first official activity
Source-www.infobae.com