He returned to Rome at 17.15 yesterday evening after his apostolic journey to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After his 6-day visit, the plane took off from Juba International Airport at 11.56 local time, carrying the Pope and about 70 members of the media.
C. Rubini CTC, Vatican News
A call for peace
In the last 6 days, Pope Francis has been trying to convey a message of comfort and hope to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. In powerful language, the Pope continued to speak about the need for each individual to cultivate peace in their own lives and in their nation. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, his first public address to civilian officials set the tone for his later visit.
“This vast and vibrant country, the Diaphragm of Africa, seems to have been suffocated by violence for some time, like a blow to the stomach.” Papa said.
Although each sermon was addressed to select groups, Pope Francis tied it all together with an exhortation to end all violence in both nations, bolstering his public discourses with expressions of closeness to them.
Messages that lead to action
A large number of people came and joined the divine sacrifices offered by the Pope. More than a million worshipers gathered in Kinshasi, the capital of Congo, and nearly 100,000 in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to pray with Pope Francis. As the plane carrying the Pope took off from Juba, the Archbishop of Juba, Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla, told the national broadcasting agency S. S. B. C. said to
“We can realize this peace only by taking care of our brothers and sisters,” he said. “They also hope that our political leaders will listen properly to the messages of the Holy Father, Archbishop Justin Welby and Reverend Lane Green Shields.” He added.