Pope
Francis arrives in the Central African Republic
(Vatican
Radio) Pope Francis arrived in the Central African Republic on the morning of
Sunday 29th of November on the last leg of his Apostolic journey to Africa, his
11th abroad. A journey which marks his first to this continent and which has
taken him to Kenya and Uganda.
In
the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui, Pope Francis will
accomplish an historic gesture by opening the Holy Door of the cathedral in
this city nine days before the inauguration of the Jubilee of Mercy on the 8th
of December in the Vatican.
A
symbolic gesture given the nation’s gruesome reality of ethnic and religious
violence over the past two years which has pitted the majority Muslim Séléka
forces against the majority Christian anti- Balaka. A situation which led to
tens of thousands of people fleeing into neighbouring countries. And as brutal
atrocities were reported on both sides the United Nations warned that there was
high risk of the country descending into genocide.
For
a long time the organizers of this visit of Pope Francis were uncertain whether
they would have to cancel the visit to this nation for fear of lack of
security. The nation gained independence from France in 1960 and is one of the
poorest in the world.
Among
the other highlights of the visit of Pope Francis on Sunday in Bangui are
a meeting with the local authorities and the diplomatic corps, a visit to the
St Sauveur refugee camp, and a private encounter with the Bishops of the
nation.
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