Pope Francis to preside over prayers for South Sudan, DRC

November 19, 2017 (ROME) – The Roman Catholic Church head, Pope Francis, will on 23 November preside over a liturgical celebration for peace in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at St. Peter’s Basilica Rome, Italy.

The Vatican, in May, announced that it had scrapped tentative plans for the head of the Roman Catholic Church to make a visit this year to South Sudan, a nation hit by war, famine and a refugee crisis.

Greg Burke, a spokesperson for the Vatican was quoted saying the Pope’s trip would not take place this year, after church leaders expected the pope would visit South Sudan probably in October, although it was not officially pronounced by the Vatican.

South Sudan spiraled into civil war in late 2013, two years after gaining independence from Sudan, and a third of the 12 million population has fled their homes. The conflict was sparked by a feud between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar.

The civil has also killed tens of thousands of people since its outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Pope was also due to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a nation where political instability has caused chaos, despite the country possessing some of the richest minerals.

The DRC reportedly has the highest numbers of internally displaced people, at nearly four million, in the whole continent.

(ST)