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Pope Francis Travels To DR Congo For Landmark Visit
The largest Roman Catholic population in Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will welcome Pope Francis for a three-day visit on Tuesday.
More than 37 years have passed since John Paul II, the last pope, visited the nation, which was then known as Zaire.
To allow Catholics to attend a liturgy lead by Pope Francis at Ndolo Airport, the government of the country on Wednesday proclaimed the city of Kinshasa a public holiday.
Prior to leaving, Pope Francis requested prayers for his travels.
Tomorrow I will depart on an Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to the Republic of South Sudan. I greet with affection those beloved peoples who await me. I ask everyone, please, to accompany this Journey with their prayers.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 30, 2023
Prior to traveling to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, where he will be joined by his Anglican counterpart, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Church of Scotland Moderator, the pontiff will remain in Kinshasa until Friday.
Meanwhile, the Catholic leader’s trip to Kinshasa, though, has generated some controversy.
To prepare the roadways for the pope’s visit, some market vendors in the city have been instructed to take down their stalls.
To that effect, some people feel resentful about this.
