2/3/2023 South Sudan (International Christian Concern) – After wrapping up his time in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pope Francis is arriving in the war-torn nation of South Sudan today. It is the first ever papal visit to South Sudan since the predominantly Christian country gained its independence from Sudan, a Muslim-majority country, in 2011, following decades of conflict.
Since achieving its independence, a five-year civil war has torn apart South Sudan, leaving 380,000 people dead and four million displaced. The nation is deeply impoverished, with half the population currently under the age of 18.
During his visit, the Pope plans to meet with church leaders, government officials, as well as victims of the civil war. He will hold an outdoor mass expected to draw large crowds.
Accompanying the Pope on his visit are the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The visit of the three men is being hailed as a “pilgrimage for peace.”
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