South Sudan Prepares for Pope Francis’s First Visit in February

The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff published the calendar of solemn liturgies, which includes Pope Francis conducting several masses in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan from 31 January to 5 February 2023.

On 31 January, Pope Francis will begin his Apostolic Journey, dubbed as “a pilgrimage of peace”, to the Democratic Republic of Congo and which will conclude on 5 February in South Sudan.

According to the Vatican News, during the Journey, the Pope will preside at a number of liturgical ceremonies, beginning with Holy Mass celebrated at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasha on 1 February, the beginning of his first full day in DR Congo.

On 2 February, the Holy Father will take part in a Prayer Meeting with priests, deacons and seminarians as well as religious men and women in the Cathedral of Notre Dame du Congo.

In Juba, South Sudan, the Pope will take part in an Ecumenical Prayer service on 4 February with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland at the John Garang Mausoleum.

On 5 February, Pope Francis will return to the John Garang Mausoleum, where he will preside at Holy Mass, the final liturgy and the final major event on his Apostolic Journey. Approximately 37% of South Sudan’s total population are Catholic.

The Pope’s first visit to both countries has been delayed and rescheduled many times. His visit to South Sudan has been delayed since 2017. Pope Francis’ visit to South Sudan was originally scheduled on 5 to 7 July 2022 as part of a continuous effort to promote peace among the country’s rival parties. He was also scheduled to visit DR Congo at the same time. It was rescheduled due to a problem with the 86-year-old Pope’s knee.

In a dramatic gesture made at the Vatican on 11 April 2019, Pop Francis knelt to kiss the feet of President Salva Kiir and other leaders as he urged them not to return to a civil war. He urged Kiir, his former deputy turned rebel leader Riek Machar, and three other vice presidents to respect an armistice and commit to forming a unity government.

The Juba City Council and the national government have started road rehabilitation ahead of the much-anticipated visit of Pope Francis to South Sudan in February.

With only two weeks left for Pope to arrive in Juba, the mayor of Juba City Council, Michael Ladu Allah-Jabu, says his office has contracted African Resource Cooperation Company (ARC) to tar a feeder road used to access the Holy See-Vatican Embassy in Juba.

The construction of the road that branches from the Kololo junction to to Thongpiny, which commenced on 16 January 2023, is expected to finish within five days. The initiative of tarmacking the road came after Governor Emmanuel Adil made a proposal at the level of presidency to name the road in memory of Pope Francis’s visit.