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VATICAN CITY (CNS) – After postponing his trip last July, Pope Francis has rescheduled it for January 31 to February 31. 5 his trip to the Congo and his ecumenical visit to South Sudan, the Vatican announced.
With the Pope’s mobility still impaired, the new schedule for the trip has been slightly reduced from that planned for July, according to the program released by the Vatican on December 1.
The main event missing from the program is a visit to Congo’s North Kivu province to celebrate Mass near the site of the former Kibumba refugee camp, where in February 2021 Italy’s ambassador to Congo, Luca Attanasio, and the 43-year-old ambassador to Congo. two others were killed in an ambush while traveling in a UN convoy. A meeting in Goma with the victims of the violence is also missing.
Instead, the pope will remain in Kinshasa from his arrival in Congo on January 31 until his departure for South Sudan early on February 3.
As planned for years, the pope will travel to South Sudan with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and the Reverend Iain Greenshields, moderator of the Church of Scotland’s general assembly, in a further bid to encourage warring leaders to stand height the commitments they made in a series of agreements and finally offer peace to their people.
The three leaders had been trying to schedule the visit since 2016, when South Sudan’s Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian leaders visited the pope and archbishop and asked them to come to foster the peace process. At least 60% of South Sudan’s population, including its political leaders, is Christian.
A statement from Reverend Greenshields’ office said: “The purpose of the visit is to renew commitment to peace and reconciliation and to stand in solidarity with millions of ordinary people who are suffering deeply from ongoing armed conflicts, violence, floods and hunger.”
Peace, unity and reconciliation are also the themes that Pope Francis is expected to focus on in the Congo, a nation rich in natural resources but torn apart by ongoing violence. The theme of the Congo visit is “All Reconciled in Jesus Christ”, which underlines how more than 95% of the nation’s population is Christian, although sporadic fighting continues, especially in the eastern and northeastern parts of the country.
Here is the schedule published by the Vatican on December 1; all times are local, with Eastern time in parentheses:
Tuesday January 31 (Rome-Kinshasa)
— 7:55 am (1:55 am) Departure by plane from Fiumicino Airport in Rome to Kinshasa.
— 3 pm (9 am) Arrival at Kinshasa International Airport. official welcome
— 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m.) Welcome event at the Palacio da Nación.
— 16:45 (10:45) Courtesy visit with the president at the Palacio da Nación.
— 17:30 h (11:30 h) Meeting with authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in the garden of the Palace of the Nation. Speech of the Pope.
Wednesday, February 1 (Kinshasa)
— 9:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m.) Mass at Ndolo Airport. Homily of the Pope.
— 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m.) Meeting with the victims of the East of the country at the apostolic nunciature. Speech of the Pope.
— 6:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m.) Meeting with representatives of some charities. Speech of the Pope.
Thursday, February 2 (Kinshasa)
— 9:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m.) Meeting with young people and catechists at the Kinshasa Martyrs’ Stadium. Speech of the Pope.
— 4:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m.) Meeting and prayer with priests, religious and seminarians at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Congo. Speech of the Pope.
— 6:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m.) Private meeting with Jesuits in the apostolic nunciature.
Friday, February 3 (Kinshasa, Juba)
— 8:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m.) Meeting with the Congolese bishops in the offices of the episcopal conference. Speech of the Pope.
— 10:10 a.m. (4:10 a.m.) Farewell ceremony at Kinshasa International Airport and departure to Juba, South Sudan.
— 3.00 pm (8.00 am) Arrival at Juba International Airport and welcome ceremony.
— 15:45 (8:45) Courtesy visit with the president at the presidential palace.
— 4:15 pm (9:15 am) Meeting with the Vice Presidents of South Sudan.
— 5:00 p.m. (10:00 a.m.) Meeting with authorities, representatives of civil society and members of the diplomatic corps in the garden of the Presidential Palace. Speech of the Pope.
Saturday February 4 (Xuba)
— 9 a.m. (2 h.) Meeting with bishops, priests, religious and seminarians at the Cathedral of Santa Teresa. Speech of the Pope.
— 11 a.m. (5 a.m.) Private meeting with Jesuits in the apostolic nunciature.
— 4:30 p.m. (9:30 a.m.) Meeting with internally displaced persons at Freedom Hall. Speech of the Pope.
— 6:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m.) Ecumenical Prayer Service at the John Garang Mausoleum. Speech of the Pope.
Sunday, February 5 (Juba, Rome)
— 8:45 am (1:45 am) Mass, followed by the Angelus prayer, at the John Garang Mausoleum. Homily of the Pope.
— 11 a.m. (3 h) Farewell ceremony at Juba International Airport.
— 11:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m.) Departure by plane.
— 17:30 (11:30) Arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport.
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