pope africa visit

Pope Francis’ visit to Africa comes at a defining moment for the Catholic church

Research Professor , World Christianity and African Studies, DePaul University

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Stan Chu Ilo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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During his planned visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan in February 2023, Pope Francis intends to be in dialogue with African Catholics – but also to listen to political leaders and young Africans.

This visit comes at a defining moment in what is regarded as a fairly progressive papacy.

Pope Francis has convened a worldwide consultation on the future of the Catholic church. This consultation, called a synodal process , began in 2021 and will conclude in 2024.

It is the most ambitious dialogue ever undertaken on bringing changes in Catholic beliefs and practices since the Second Vatican Council’s reforms in 1965 . It is exciting for reform-minded Catholics, but distressing for conservative Catholics.

The ongoing synodal process has exposed the fault lines in modern Catholicism on the issues of women, celibacy, sexuality, marriage, clericalism and hierarchism. How Pope Francis – who marks a decade of his papacy this year – manages these increasingly divisive issues will, in my judgement, largely define his legacy.

My research has focused on how African Catholics can bring about a consensus approach in managing these contested issues.

The big questions for me are how another papal visit to Africa at this point will address the challenges and opportunities that Africans are identifying through the synodal process – and how this plays into the state of Catholicism in Africa.

The influence of African Catholicism

The Catholic church is witnessing its fastest growth in Africa (recent statistics show 2.1% growth between 2019 and 2020). Out of a global population of 1.36 billion Catholics , 236 million are African (20% of the total).

African Catholics are not simply growing in number. They are reinventing and reinterpreting Christianity. They are infusing it with new language and spiritual vibrancy through unique ways of worshipping God.

Given its expansion, the Catholic church in Africa is well placed to be a central driver of social, political and spiritual life. In many settings, the church provides a community of hope where the fabric of society is weak because of war, humanitarian disasters and disease.

The DRC, for instance, has the highest number of Catholic health facilities in Africa at 2,185 . It is followed by Kenya with 1,092 and Nigeria with 524 facilities. Additionally, bishops have mobilised peaceful protests against violence in the DRC and Nigeria .

Another major feature of Catholicism on the continent is that it is witnessing a “youth bulge”. Central to Pope Francis’ advocacy for Africa is his appeal that churches, religious groups and governments show solidarity with young people. He calls them “the church of now”.

The pope expressed this most recently in November 2022 during a synodal consultation with African youth. He denounced the exploitation of Africa by external forces and its destruction by wars, ideologies of violence and policies that rob young people of their future.

Why DRC and South Sudan?

Pope Francis comes to Africa as part of the synodal consultation. He takes the message of a humble and merciful church to some of the most challenging parts of Africa: the DRC and South Sudan .

These two countries illustrate the impact of neo-liberal capitalism and the effects of slavery, colonialism and imperialism. Together, they have unleashed the most destructive economic, social and political upheaval in modern African history.

Read more: Conflict in the DRC: 5 articles that explain what's gone wrong

Pope Francis is coming to listen especially to the poor, to young people and to women who have been violated in conflicts. He also hopes to address the hidden wounds of clerical sexual abuse in the church.

Pope Francis will see how war, dictatorship and ecological disasters have denied ordinary people access to land, labour and lodging. These are the “three Ls” he proposes as vital in giving agency to the poor.

Some opposition

Pope Francis will no doubt receive a warm welcome during his visit. Most African Catholics embrace his message of a poor and merciful church because it speaks to their challenges.

But there are many African Catholics, particularly high-ranking church leaders, who are yet to embrace this reform agenda. The previous two popes encouraged a centralising tendency, which promoted unquestioning loyalty to Rome by African bishops. As a result, these bishops resisted attempts by African theologians to modernise and Africanise Catholic beliefs and practices to meet local needs and circumstances.

This has led to some African bishops being uncomfortable with Pope Francis’ progressive agenda on liberation theology, openness to gay Catholics, condemnation of clerical privilege and power, and inclusion of women in mainstream leadership.

Rather than being a strong church that looks like Africa, some of the Catholic dioceses on the continent have embraced medieval traditions – like Roman rituals and Latin – that alienate ordinary African Catholics, especially young people.

Africa’s future role

Pope Francis has often spoken of giving Africa a voice in the church and in the world.

Many African Catholics wonder how this will happen when, for the first time in more than 30 years, there is just one African holding an important executive function at the Vatican. This is Archbishop Protase Rugambwa of Tanzania, the secretary of the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples , a department at the Vatican’s central offices.

Many African Catholics hope that Pope Francis will announce some African appointments to the Vatican during his February 2023 visit.

They also are hoping he will create a pontifical commission for Africa, similar to the Latin American commission created in 1958. This will be a significant way of giving African Catholics a voice in the church of Rome.

Pope Francis hasn’t fully recovered from the health challenges that led to the cancellation of the trip last July. But he is making this trip because he believes that Africa matters.

Through the sessions that the pope will conduct with Africans, especially young people, it’s hoped that the Catholic church in Africa can help address the causes of war and suffering in the DRC and South Sudan, and the obstacles to reforming the church in Africa.

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Pope Francis begins a much anticipated trip to 2 countries in Africa

Emmanuel Akinwotu

Pope Francis embarks on what he's calling a pilgrimage of peace to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan — two nations marred by conflicts that have largely been forgotten by the world.

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Pope Francis' visit to Africa comes at a defining moment for the Catholic church

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During his planned visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan in February 2023, Pope Francis intends to be in dialogue with African Catholics – but also to listen to political leaders and young Africans.

This visit comes at a defining moment in what is regarded as a fairly progressive papacy.

Pope Francis has convened a worldwide consultation on the future of the Catholic church. This consultation, called a synodal process , began in 2021 and will conclude in 2024.

It is the most ambitious dialogue ever undertaken on bringing changes in Catholic beliefs and practices since the Second Vatican Council’s reforms in 1965 . It is exciting for reform-minded Catholics, but distressing for conservative Catholics.

The ongoing synodal process has exposed the fault lines in modern Catholicism on the issues of women, celibacy, sexuality, marriage, clericalism and hierarchism. How Pope Francis – who marks a decade of his papacy this year – manages these increasingly divisive issues will, in my judgement, largely define his legacy.

My research has focused on how African Catholics can bring about a consensus approach in managing these contested issues.

The big questions for me are how another papal visit to Africa at this point will address the challenges and opportunities that Africans are identifying through the synodal process – and how this plays into the state of Catholicism in Africa.

The influence of African Catholicism

The Catholic church is witnessing its fastest growth in Africa (recent statistics show 2.1% growth between 2019 and 2020). Out of a global population of 1.36 billion Catholics , 236 million are African (20% of the total).

African Catholics are not simply growing in number. They are reinventing and reinterpreting Christianity. They are infusing it with new language and spiritual vibrancy through unique ways of worshipping God.

Given its expansion, the Catholic church in Africa is well placed to be a central driver of social, political and spiritual life. In many settings, the church provides a community of hope where the fabric of society is weak because of war, humanitarian disasters and disease.

The DRC, for instance, has the highest number of Catholic health facilities in Africa at 2,185 . It is followed by Kenya with 1,092 and Nigeria with 524 facilities. Additionally, bishops have mobilised peaceful protests against violence in the DRC and Nigeria .

Another major feature of Catholicism on the continent is that it is witnessing a “youth bulge”. Central to Pope Francis’ advocacy for Africa is his appeal that churches, religious groups and governments show solidarity with young people. He calls them “the church of now”.

The pope expressed this most recently in November 2022 during a synodal consultation with African youth. He denounced the exploitation of Africa by external forces and its destruction by wars, ideologies of violence and policies that rob young people of their future.

Why DRC and South Sudan?

Pope Francis comes to Africa as part of the synodal consultation. He takes the message of a humble and merciful church to some of the most challenging parts of Africa: the DRC and South Sudan .

These two countries illustrate the impact of neo-liberal capitalism and the effects of slavery, colonialism and imperialism. Together, they have unleashed the most destructive economic, social and political upheaval in modern African history.

Read more: Conflict in the DRC: 5 articles that explain what's gone wrong

Pope Francis is coming to listen especially to the poor, to young people and to women who have been violated in conflicts. He also hopes to address the hidden wounds of clerical sexual abuse in the church.

Pope Francis will see how war, dictatorship and ecological disasters have denied ordinary people access to land, labour and lodging. These are the “three Ls” he proposes as vital in giving agency to the poor.

Some opposition

Pope Francis will no doubt receive a warm welcome during his visit. Most African Catholics embrace his message of a poor and merciful church because it speaks to their challenges.

But there are many African Catholics, particularly high-ranking church leaders, who are yet to embrace this reform agenda. The previous two popes encouraged a centralising tendency, which promoted unquestioning loyalty to Rome by African bishops. As a result, these bishops resisted attempts by African theologians to modernise and Africanise Catholic beliefs and practices to meet local needs and circumstances.

This has led to some African bishops being uncomfortable with Pope Francis’ progressive agenda on liberation theology, openness to gay Catholics, condemnation of clerical privilege and power, and inclusion of women in mainstream leadership.

Rather than being a strong church that looks like Africa, some of the Catholic dioceses on the continent have embraced medieval traditions – like Roman rituals and Latin – that alienate ordinary African Catholics, especially young people.

Africa’s future role

Pope Francis has often spoken of giving Africa a voice in the church and in the world.

Many African Catholics wonder how this will happen when, for the first time in more than 30 years, there is just one African holding an important executive function at the Vatican. This is Archbishop Protase Rugambwa of Tanzania, the secretary of the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples , a department at the Vatican’s central offices.

Many African Catholics hope that Pope Francis will announce some African appointments to the Vatican during his February 2023 visit.

They also are hoping he will create a pontifical commission for Africa, similar to the Latin American commission created in 1958. This will be a significant way of giving African Catholics a voice in the church of Rome.

Pope Francis hasn’t fully recovered from the health challenges that led to the cancellation of the trip last July. But he is making this trip because he believes that Africa matters.

Through the sessions that the pope will conduct with Africans, especially young people, it’s hoped that the Catholic church in Africa can help address the causes of war and suffering in the DRC and South Sudan, and the obstacles to reforming the church in Africa.

This article is republished from The Conversation , a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter .

It was written by: Stan Chu Ilo , DePaul University .

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Stan Chu Ilo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Pope Francis arrives in Africa on a two-nation tour seeking peace amid decades of conflict

News Anthony Akaeze  |  January 31, 2023

Pope Francis arrived in Democratic Republic of Congo today, marking the first papal visit to the African nation since John Paul visited there in 1985 when the country was known as Zaire. This is the beginning of a six-day, two-nation trip by Pope Francis.

About half the 90 million residents of Congo are Roman Catholic.

Both Congo and South Sudan share something deadly in common. Both have been plagued in recent years by conflict and insecurity caused by warring or rebel groups. For the last decade, this has resulted in misery, countless deaths and destruction of property.

Pope Francis greets well-wishers after arriving in Kinshasa, Congo, Tuesday Jan. 31, 2023. Francis is in Congo and South Sudan for a six-day trip, hoping to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries that have been riven by poverty, conflicts and what he calls a “colonialist mentality” that has exploited Africa for centuries. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

A 48-page report by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan last year describes “a hellish existence for women and girls,” as “widespread rape is being perpetrated by all armed groups across the country, often as part of military tactics for which government and military leaders are responsible.”

A 2022 Amnesty International report on DRC said “continuing armed conflict and violence claimed thousands of lives, large-scale displacement and widespread sexual violence” and “indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations, looting and destruction of homes, crops, and other objects indispensable for the survival of the civilian population, as well as attacks on infrastructure, continued particularly in the east and south.”

Some of these horrors “constituted war crimes,” the report said.

Pope Francis is expected to use his influence to call warring factions to the negotiating table.

Pope Francis is expected to use his influence to call warring factions to the negotiating table. He is expected to preach peace and to unite people of various ethnic and religious groups.

This is a familiar role for Francis. In April 2019, South Sudan’s warring leaders, President Salva Kiir and his deputy, Rick Machar, visited the Vatican, and Francis knelt and kissed their feet. The pope urged the warriors to embrace peace, but no sooner had they left the Vatican than they and their supporters returned to their violent ways and peace accords were breached.

Francis intended to make this trip seven months ago but had to delay due to a knee problem.

Just weeks ago, in his New Year’s message at St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis highlighted the need for peace. He prayed for “sons and daughters who are suffering and no longer have the strength to pray, and for our many brothers and sisters throughout the world who are victims of war, passing these holidays in darkness and cold, in poverty and fear, immersed in violence and indifference.”

He is joined in the current trip by two other prominent religious leaders — the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.

This is the third time Francis has visited Africa.

Edmund Yakani

Edmund Yakani, a South Sudanese activist, said he hopes peace will be realized as a fruit of the visit.

“Yes, I have expectations specifically around the conflicting parties,” he said. “I wish for the pope’s call for peace and stability to prevail for the common good of the citizens. I hope the violence scale reduces after the pope’s visit. My dream is that Pope Francis’ and the other two Christian leaders’ visit will cultivate political attitudes toward violence reduction and respect of peaceful political power transfer.”

Yakani’s optimism is in spite of what he knows about the history of violence in South Sudan and DRC and those fueling the crisis in both places.

“The leaders of the conflicting parties are more interested in power and resource control. The leaders of the parties in both countries are profiteers of the violence,” he said.

Justine John Dyikuk

Justine John Dyikuk, a Catholic priest and Ph.D. student at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, explained the importance of the pope’s visit.

“Both the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan are Christian countries grappling with abject poverty and conflict,” said Dyikuk, who’s also a senior fellow for religious freedom policy at the Religious Freedom Institute. “It is crucial to note that Congo is home to 45 million Roman Catholics, the faith’s largest community in Africa, where the church runs about 40% of the nation’s health facilities and provides education to about 6 million children in Catholic schools.”

The pope’s visit is crucial as it could help “call the attention of the world to long decades conflicts of these mineral-rich nations which have been wrecked by long-decades of senseless violence that has sent millions to their early graves,” he said.

The Nigerian priest is confident “this high-powered visit would bring hope and unity to the two nations as well as the continent.”

Yet as past examples in Africa and elsewhere have shown, maintaining peace after the cameras are off is a challenge. Beyond Pope Francis’ mediation efforts, Dyikuk believes religious leaders have a responsibility to work for peace in their communities.

“Religious leaders must embrace peace building, live by its principles and teach the same to their adherents,” he said. “We have examples of Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa and Mahatma Gandhi in India who exemplified tolerance, respect for the other person’s creed and coexistence. In Nigeria, for instance, we have the likes of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Imam Abdullahi Abubakar, who saved hundreds of Christians during an attack from suspected Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State on June 23, 2018.”

“Religious leaders must embrace peace building, live by its principles and teach the same to their adherents.”

In view of the ethnic and religious diversity of Africa, Dyikuk contends people must accommodate and appreciate their differences and eschew all manner of hate.

“Diversity should never be a problem; if anything, it should be a blessing,” he said. “Is there any country that is as diverse as the United States of America? How many conflicts are they experiencing there? Well, I think religious leaders across Africa should see the continent’s diversity as a source of strength and synergize with civil authorities to eschew violence and build bridges of peace.

“I (would love to) see a future where religious (leaders) act as stakeholders who incubate a new brand of youth who are global leaders that relate with one another on the basis of humanity, competence and the spirit of ubuntu (communitarian love),” he said. “I anticipate a future where religious leaders would not collude with political-buccaneers to plunder resources, connive with external powers to steal resources or divert resources to foreign bank accounts. An Africa devoid of conflict and bloodshed.”

Anthony Akaeze  is a Nigerian-born freelance journalist who lives in Houston. He covers Africa for BNG.

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Pope Francis’ trip to the DRC is the first papal visit since John Paul II travelled there in 1985.

Pope Francis is visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan this week.

The 86-year-old leader of the Catholic church will start his trip on Tuesday in the Congolese capital Kinshasa before heading to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on Friday.

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The Vatican’s envoy to the DRC, where Catholics make up about half of the population, has said the trip will remind the world not to ignore decades-long conflicts there.

An estimated 5.7 million people are internally displaced in the DRC and 26 million face severe hunger, largely because of the impact of armed conflict by multiple rebel groups, according to the United Nations.

The trip will be Francis’s 40th abroad since he was elected supreme pontiff in 2013 following the resignation of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI . Over the course of these trips, the pope has visited 59 countries.

Pope Francis’ trip to the DRC is the first visit by a pope since John Paul II travelled there in 1985 – it was still known as Zaire at the time.

The DRC is the second-largest country in Africa and has a population of some 90 million people. The Church runs about 40 percent of the country’s health facilities and about 6 million children are taught in Catholic schools.

The countries the pope has visited include:

• Brazil: July 2013
• Bolivia: July 2015
• Ecuador: July 2015
• Paraguay: July 2015
• United States: September 2015
• Cuba: September 2015, February 2016
• Mexico: February 2016
• Colombia: September 2017
• Chile: January 2018
• Peru: January 2018
• Panama: January 2019
• Canada: July 2022

• South Korea: August 2014
• Sri Lanka: January 2015
• Philippines: January 2015
• Armenia: June 2016
• Georgia: September 2016
• Azerbaijan: October 2016
• Myanmar: November 2017
• Bangladesh: November 2017
• Thailand: November 2019
• Japan: November 2019
• Kazakhstan: September 2022

• Kenya: November 2015
• Uganda: November 2015
• Central African Republic: November 2015
• Egypt: April 2017
• Morocco: March 2019
• Mozambique: September 2019
• Madagascar: September 2019
• Mauritius: September 2019
• Democratic Republic of Congo: January 2023
• South Sudan: February 2023 (planned)

• Albania: September 2014
• France: November 2014
• Turkey: November 2014
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: June 2015
• Greece: April 2016
• Poland: July 2016
• Sweden: October 2016
• Portugal: May 2017
• Switzerland: June 2018
• Ireland: August 2018
• Estonia: September 2018
• Latvia: September 2018
• Lithuania: September 2018
• Bulgaria: May 2019
• North Macedonia: May 2019
• Romania: May 2019
• Hungary: September 2021
• Slovakia: September 2021
• Cyprus: December 2021
• Greece: December 2021
• Malta: April 2022

Middle East

• Israel: May 2014
• Jordan: May 2014
• Palestine: May 2014
• United Arab Emirates: February 2019
• Iraq: March 2019
• Bahrain: November 2022

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Pope Francis in Africa: what should be on his agenda?

From the plight of refugees, religious extremism to gay rights, Global Voices surveys the key issues likely to dominate the pontiff’s historic trip

Pope Francis makes his first visit to Africa this week, starting on Wednesday when his delegation will visit Kenya, then Uganda and the Central African Republic.

During the five-day trip the pope is expected to deliver public masses, meet religious and political leaders and promote a message of reconciliation and unity.

But concerns have lingered over whether his visit to Central African Republic (CAR) will go ahead. The country is currently embroiled in a civil war between the predominantly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition and Christian government forces.

His visit there – where he will meet representatives from the Muslim community at mosque in the capital, Bangui – will make him the first pope to travel to an active war zone, according to Global Post .

Speculation over what the head of the Roman Catholic Church can achieve with this visit is being hotly debated online. From escalating religious tensions to pushing for LGBT equality, here are a few of the common themes being discussed.

Religious tensions

Christian militias in CAR have carried out attacks on the country’s Muslim population during the ongoing conflict, leading some people to question whether the pope’s visit could in fact escalate religious tensions.

Peter Fabricius, a security consultant at the South African-based Institute for Security Studies, argued that the pope should have planned a joint visit with a Muslim leader.

“It is a pity that Francis does not have a Muslim counterpart who could partner him on his missions of peace and reconciliation among religions,” he said.

“Nevertheless, by his highly active and increasingly visible political interventions around the world in the name of peace, reconciliation and mercy, Pope Francis may just still be inspiring and emboldening the leaders of other religions to follow his example.”

In Kenya , members of the militant Islamist group al-Shabaab killed 147 people at Garissa University College, allowing Muslims to go free but killing those who identified as Christian.

Kenyan blogger Daniel Ominde suggested the pope might transform other areas with his message of peace. “Frequent terror attacks in Nairobi, Mombasa and most recently Garissa University significantly drove down Kenya’s earnings from [tourism], the sector which was for a long time the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner.

“It is my hope that the pope will use this visit to remind the world that terror is a problem in Africa just like it is in the western world where hundreds of lives have also been lost,” Ominde wrote.

The blogger praised the pope’s “conciliatory agenda” and suggested that visiting regions with a high Muslim population “should provide him with an opportunity to reach out to Muslims, and set the stone rolling for a process of inter-religious unity in the fight against extremism.”

LGBT rights

On the issue of homosexuality, Ominde argued : “While we do not expect him to push for the legalisation of homosexuality, Pope Francis will almost definitely encourage African governments to deal with homosexuals in more a humane manner.”

Uganda is notorious for its tough laws criminalising homosexuality. In an interview in 2014 given shortly after signing a bill that made some homosexual acts punishable by life in prison, the country’s president Yoweri Museveni reportedly told CNN : “They’re disgusting. What sort of people are they?”

In CAR, homosexuality is not illegal, and the country has signed a UN statement committed to ending acts of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

However, according to the Library of Congress “public expressions of love” between persons of the same sex is punishable by six months to two years imprisonment or a fine, and there is currently no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

In July 2013, Pope Francis showed understanding toward the LGBT community when he said : “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

But Emma Were Tinka’s tweet from Uganda , quoting the country’s Archbishop of Gulu, suggested senior religious figures would stand firm in their opposition.

Archbishop Odama: On homosexuality, 'i don't think the Pope can divert from the teachings of the church' #PopeInUganda — Emma Were Tinka (@EmmaTinka) November 10, 2015

The plight of refugees

The Irish Jesuit Mission has asked the pope to keep the plight of refugees in mind during his visit:

Consider the Invisible:We ask #PopeFrancis remember refugee messages as he journeys thro Africa @miseancara #Jesuits https://t.co/wyilVgqFTF — Irish Jesuit Mission (@IrishJMissions) November 12, 2015

Civil war and violence in Africa have forced many people to flee countries across the continent. Figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that by mid-2014 there were 13 million refugees of concern to the organisation, 28% of them fleeing conflicts in African countries.

According to the organisation, there are 460,000 refugees from Central African Republic – 10% of the country’s population – currently living in Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Congo.

How Ugandans are preparing for #PopeinAfrica Visit to the country on Nov 27-29 in Pictures. @Pope_news @BBCAfrica pic.twitter.com/z47ppsKg6s — Ignatius Bahizi (@bahizi_i) November 20, 2015

I hope #PopeinKenya visit inspires the Church to play a greater role in enhancing democracy as it did in the 90s #EqualityFridays — Cera Njagi (@Kenyanfeminist) November 20, 2015

‘Corruption, impunity, tribalism, insecurity’

Kenya-based Abdimalik Odowa shared a cartoon of Kenya’s prayer requests to the pope:

Kenya's prayer request: corruption, impunity, tribalism, insecurity... #PopeInKenya @StandardKenya :) pic.twitter.com/RbyUeunqkz — AMB. Abdimalik Odowa (@AbdimalikOdowa) November 11, 2015

Alvin Akoko in Nairobi pointed out three main issues he would like the pope to discuss during the Kenyan leg of his visit:

@Pontifex , I understand you wont discuss ethnicity, but please address CORRUPTION, MEDIA FREEDOM & ACCOUNTABILITY #PopeInKenya #FreeNgirachu — Alvin AKOKO (@akokoalvin) November 10, 2015

Comparing US president Barack Obama’s trip to the pope’s imminent visit, Twitter user @TsarNjoroge observed:

When @POTUS comes to Nairobi, people are told to leave city but when @Pontifex comes to Nairobi, people are welcomed in city #PopeInKenya — DUKE OF GATANGASHIRE (@TsarNjoroge) November 11, 2015

During Obama’s visit, the Kenyan government reportedly removed homeless people and street vendors from the city.

Reflecting on the same subject, Emmanuel Ngumbi remarked:

when #Obama visited Kenya he chose to meet a few at@KenyattaUni during #PopeInKenya trip he will celebrate mass with masses at #UoN grounds — Emmanuel Ngumbi (@ngumbijunior) November 10, 2015

It is expected that 1.4 million people will attend his mass in Kenya alone.

A version of this article first appeared on Global Voices online

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What you do not know about pope Francis' previous visits to Africa

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Pope Francis

Pope Francis, 86, begins a six-day trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan on January 31.

Since his election in 2013, the head of the Catholic Church has made four trips to the continent and visited eight countries.

Jorge Bergoglio made his first trip to Africa on the 25th of November 2015. 

2015: Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic

He first landed in Nairobi Kenya where he met with the head of State, members of the Diplomatic corps. The day after, he presided over a mass at the University of Nairobi, met with the clergy and consecrated men and women before visiting the headquarters of the UN in the Kenyan capital.

On November 27, he visited the poor neighbourhood of Kangemi and delivered a speech to the youth in Kasarani Stadium. 

During his stay in Uganda (Nov. 27-28), he met with the President and representatives of the local Catholic Church as well as the youth. One of the highlights of his visit was a tour of the Anglican and Catholic sanctuary dedicated to 22 Christian martyrs and saints of the XIXth century. The Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo is one of the largest Christian pilgrimage destinations on the continent.

The most anticipated part of his apostolic trip was his travel to the Central African Republic (Nov. 29-30). It was under tight security and focused on a message of peace, social justice and dialogue with Islam.

The central African country was still suffering from the consequences of inter-communal violence. Pope Francis made a symbolic gesture by visiting the central mosque in Bangui, and opened the "holy door" of the cathedral as a sign of reconciliation.

2017: Expressing closeness

In April 2017, the Argentine Jesuit made a two-day visit to Cairo (Ap. 28-29). It wasthe first papal trip to the Egyptian capital in 20 years. He wanted to mark his closeness to the largest Christian community in the Middle East, which had been battered by terrorist attacks. 

Indeed, Egypt’s ancient Christian community known as Coptic Christians faced an unprecedented pressure from Islamic State militants threatening to wipe it out.

The Pope's visit came weeks after suicide attacks on two churches killed dozens of people.

Francis also reached out to Muslims, alongside the Sunni Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. The Pontiff spoke at the Al-Azhar University, one of the most renowned Sunni institutions in the world, where he addressed an international peace conference hosted by Al-Azhar and chaired by its grand imam.

He advocated for ecumenical dialogue by meeting with the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II.

2019: one year, 4 countries

Invited by King Mohammed VI, the pope visited Morocco, a Muslim country on March 30 and 31, 2019. During his visit in Rabat, Francis dropped by a rural centre of social services and a migrants assistance center. 

The kingdom became in recent years the main destination for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe via Spain.

Francis' visit was marked by calls for the respect of the rights of migrants, religious tolerance and freedom of conscience. He also warned Christians against any temptation to "proselytize", before celebrating mass in Rabat.

Together with His majesty King Mohammed VI, the Pope made an appeal for Jerusalem/ Al Quds to be a place of peace: "It is our hope that in the Holy City, full freedom of access to the followers of the three monotheistic religions and their right to worship will be guaranteed [...]" 

That reality has not been true in recent years as the city witnessed cycles of Israeli-Palestinian violence.

In September 2019, the spiritual father to about 1.3 billion Catholics toured the Indian Ocean, visiting Mozambique and Madagascar, but also Mauritius. In the lusophone nation, Francis met with political, religious and civil actors to discuss peace-related issues since Mozambique had been heavily affected by conflict and a jihadist insurgency, poverty and cyclone as well as floods.

In Madagascar (Sept. 6-8), Francis sounded the alarm about deforestation. 30 years after the last papal visit by John Paul II he celebrating a mass in front of a million faithful in the capital Antananarivo.

The final leg of his tour saw his stop by Mauritius for a one-day stay (Sept. 9). Thousands had gathered in front of the "Mary Queen of Peace" shrine where Francis celebrated mass. 

He also met with civil authorities and civil society at the presidential palace. Francis pleaded for peace and social justice.

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Papal switcheroo as Francis changes plans at last minute to visit different Rome community

People gather behind barricades in front of an apartment block at Casal Bertone, in far-east Rome, where Pope Francis was expected to pay a visit, Thursday, June 6, 2024. Francis apparently pulled a last-minute switcheroo, after word had spread too much that he was planning to visit the apartment in Casal Bertone, and instead had a surprise meeting with 30 or so families in another building courtyard in the far west neighborhood of Palmarola, at the opposite side of Rome. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Flowers and people are seen in front of an apartment block at Casal Bertone, in far-east Rome, where Pope Francis was expected to pay a visit, Thursday, June 6, 2024. Francis apparently pulled a last-minute switcheroo, after word had spread too much that he was planning to visit the apartment in Casal Bertone, and instead had a surprise meeting with 30 or so families in another building courtyard in the far west neighborhood of Palmarola, at the opposite side of Rome. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

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ROME (AP) — Pope Francis slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday to meet with members of a local Roman parish as part of his new initiative of surprise papal prayer sessions ahead of next year’s Jubilee .

The 30 or so families who met with Francis in a building courtyard in the far west neighborhood of Palmarola were certainly surprised — especially since Francis had been expected across town at another parish community at the same time.

Francis apparently pulled the last-minute switcheroo after word had spread too much that he was planning to visit an apartment complex in Casal Bertone, a middle-class neighborhood in far-east Rome. Indeed, the city of Rome had set up police barricades to contain well-wishers, potted plants decorated the site and media crews were on hand — only to have the pope end up a no-show.

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, didn’t address the change in plans in a statement issued late Thursday alongside a photo of the pope with the parish families he actually did meet. He said only that Francis had gone to the Palmarola neighborhood to meet with 30 families who belong to the parish of Santa Brigida di Svezia for the third round of his “school of prayer” encounters.

Unlike typical parish visits that involve church communities preparing for months to receive a pope, or highly orchestrated foreign trips that require bilateral diplomatic protocols, these prayer meetings are designed to be informal and spontaneous.

After battling poor health for much of the winter , the 87-year-old Francis has resumed a fairly robust schedule of encounters outside the Vatican. Recently he has met with groups of priests and laity in various parts of Rome and made recent day trips to Venice and Verona, with plans for upcoming visits to Trieste and the Group of Seven meeting near Bari.

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G7 summit: PM Modi meets Pope Francis; invites him to visit India

"met pope francis on the sidelines of the @g7 summit. i admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. also invited him to visit india," modi said in a post on x.

Savelletri Di Fasano: Pope Francis greets Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives for a session during the G7 Summit, in Savelletri Di Fasano, Italy, Friday, June 14, 2024. (PTI Photo)

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Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the @G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India. @Pontifex pic.twitter.com/BeIPkdRpUD — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2024

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Pope Francis apologises for making homophobic slur in a closed-door meeting

Ind vs eng 1st test: pope braves indian spin trio on his way to hundred, pope francis urges italians to have babies as a measure of hope for future, g7 summit: hopeful of productive discussions with world leaders, says pm, first pontiff to address g7 summit, pope francis raises alarm about ai, ocean freight rates in rough waters on congestion, red sea crisis, pm modi participates in g7 outreach session on ai, energy, africa, g7 commits to reduce 75% of methane emissions from fossil fuels by 2030, bonn climate meet: countries make little progress on financing issues.

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First Published: Jun 14 2024 | 10:46 PM IST

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In a First, Pope Plans to Attend G7 Summit

Francis is expected to join world leaders for the meeting in southern Italy to discuss the ethical implications of artificial intelligence.

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By Emma Bubola

Reporting from Rome

• June 13, 2024

As leaders from the Group of 7 nations gather this week in southern Italy, they will be joined by representatives from countries at the center of international conflict, from developing nations like Brazil and India, and, for the first time, from the Holy See.

Pope Francis, the Vatican announced, will take part in a discussion on Friday on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence at a session that is open to envoys from countries that are not G7 members. The Vatican said Pope Francis would also have bilateral conversations with some of the visiting leaders, including President Biden and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, who invited him, said the pope’s presence would “make a decisive contribution to defining a regulatory, ethical and cultural framework” for A.I., adding that his participation “brings prestige to our nation and to the entire Group of 7.”

Francis’s participation in the summit comes as the 87-year-old pope was reported this week to have used again an offensive slur to refer to homosexuality, the same pejorative he was accused of using last month. The reports last month prompted a backlash among L.G.B.T.Q. people, toward whom the pope had generally adopted a more welcoming approach.

The pope’s G7 presence breaks with a long tradition in the Roman Catholic Church of refusing such invitations on the basis that a pontiff does not need state leaders or anyone else to offer him a platform to speak, said Alberto Melloni, an Italian church historian.

“The pope already has the floor,” Mr. Melloni said.

But in this case, Pope Francis, who has a record of breaking with conventional behavior, might see the summit as a high-profile opportunity to send another loud message on ending conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Mr. Melloni said.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told Avvenire, an Italian Catholic daily, that Francis was ready to use “all the means and spaces” available to make the case for peace.

Francis’ invitation to the summit, he added, was also a recognition of the profound ethical implications of the technology he will officially be there to discuss.

The pope has already been caught in the currents of A.I.-generated photographs of Francis wearing a giant white padded jacket, riding a motorcycle and drinking a beer at a music festival have caused widespread glee on social media. But Francis and the Vatican have also highlighted more serious implications of artificial intelligence, including in education, communication, working life, and corporate and government decision-making.

In 2020, the Pontifical Academy for Life, a research institute whose members are selected by the pope, issued a document, the “Rome Call for A.I. Ethics,” that laid out principles for the development and use of the technology. Top players in the field of A.I., including leaders at Microsoft, I.B.M. and Cisco, have signed the document.

Francis himself addressed the subject in a message on New Year’s Day, calling for a global treaty to ensure that A.I. systems preserved space for human mercy, compassion and forgiveness, rather than be plunged into a reality operated by inscrutable algorithms. He said it was vital to understand what effect these technologies will have on individual lives and on societies, on international stability and on peace.

The Rev. Paolo Benanti, who serves as an A.I. ethicist to both the Vatican and the Italian government, said that the pope’s attendance at the G7 meeting emphasized his willingness to engage with pivotal global issues.

“The pope shows that he has these antennae,” Father Benanti told reporters this past week, citing Francis’ other major concerns, such as migration and climate change, adding, “He perceives where the world goes.”

In the seaside town of Savelletri, where the G7 summit is taking place in a luxury tourist resort, residents had high hopes for the pope’s visit. Although tight security protocols mean that locals are unlikely to see Francis in person, many were keeping their fingers crossed for some payoff, however small.

“At least a blessing,” said one 68-year-old resident, Laura Mancini. “He must give that to us.”

Emma Bubola is a Times reporter based in London, covering news across Europe and around the world. More about Emma Bubola

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Pope Francis reflects on Roman Empire in visit to ancient Capitoline Hill

By Courtney Mares

Rome Newsroom, Jun 10, 2024 / 13:00 pm

Pope Francis gazed over the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum during a visit to Rome’s historic Capitoline Hill on Monday in which he reflected on how the “Rome of the Caesars’” transformed into the “Rome of the Popes.”

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri, the pope took in the view from a balcony overlooking the third-century Arch of Septimius Severus of the archaeological site of what was once the heart of ancient Rome.

Pope Francis praised ancient Rome as “a radiating center of civilization,” which with its legal developments and organizational capacities built solid and lasting institutions and an ancient culture with “many good values, which on the other hand needed to elevate itself, to confront a greater message of fraternity, love, hope, and liberation.”

“The Good News, or rather the Christian faith, over time would permeate and transform the life of people and of the institutions themselves,” he said. “It would offer people a far more radical and unprecedented hope.”

“The shining witness of the martyrs and the dynamism of charity of the first communities of believers tapped into the need to hear new words, the words of eternal life,” he added. “Olympus was no longer enough; one had to go to Golgotha and to the empty tomb of the Risen One to find the answers to the yearning for truth, justice, and love.”

In his reflection on the Roman Empire, Pope Francis also noted how the prevalence of slavery in ancient Rome is an example of how “even refined civilizations can present cultural elements so rooted in the mentality of people and of the entire society that they are no longer perceived as contrary to the dignity of the human being.”

He compared the Romans’ acceptance of slavery to how some societies today “risk being selective and partial in the defense of human dignity, marginalizing or discarding certain categories of people, who end up finding themselves without adequate protection.”

Pope Francis recalled how the city of Rome “since its birth some 2,800 years ago has had a clear and continuing vocation of universality.”

“Many things have changed, but Rome’s vocation to universality was confirmed and exalted,” he added. “In fact, if the geographical horizon of the Roman Empire had its heart in the Mediterranean world and, although very vast, did not involve the whole world, the mission of the Church has no boundaries on this earth, because it must make Christ, his action, and his words of salvation known to all peoples.”

After the speech, the pope offered a greeting from the Senatorial Palace balcony overlooking the Piazza del Campidoglio, the public square designed by Michalangelo atop Rome’s ancient Capitoline Hill, and offered a prayer for the city of Rome as it prepares for the 2025 Jubilee.

The Vatican and the city of Rome are expecting an estimated 35 million people to flock to the Eternal City for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope — the first ordinary jubilee since the Great Jubilee of 2000.

Pope Francis noted that while the influx of pilgrims, tourists, and migrants to the city of Rome may appear to be “a burden” for local citizens, the reality is that Rome is “unique in the world” and with that has “a responsibility … to the human family.”

“The immense treasure of culture and history nestled in the hills of Rome is the honor and the burden of its citizenry and its rulers, and expects to be properly valued and respected,” he added.

More than 350 construction and renovation projects are taking place in the city of Rome in preparation for the Jubilee Year, including the 79.5-million-euro (about $86.4 million) Piazza Pia transformation and the 4-million-euro (about $4.3 million) Piazza Risorgimento redevelopment.

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The pope told the city officials that while the Jubilee is a religious event as “a prayerful and penitential pilgrimage,” it will also “be able to have a positive impact on the face of the city itself, improving its decorum and making public services more efficient.”

“Rome is a city with a universal spirit. This spirit wants to be at the service of charity, at the service of welcome and hospitality,” Pope Francis said.

“Pilgrims, tourists, migrants, those in serious difficulty, the poorest, the lonely, the sick, prisoners, the excluded are the most truthful witnesses of this spirit,” he added. “And these can testify that authority is fully such when it places itself at the service of all, when it uses its legitimate power to meet the needs of citizens and, in particular, of the weakest, the least.”

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Pope Francis crossed the River Tiber on Monday morning after having accepted the Mayor of Rome’s invitation to visit the Capitoline Assembly as the city gears up to host the 2025 Jubilee Year.

During his discourse to the Mayor and his administration, the Pope expressed gratitude for the excellent collaboration between the Holy See and the Municipality and for the latter’s commitment to preparing the city to welcome the pilgrims in the best possible way.

Rome, he noted, is a city with a universal spirit “at the service of charity, at the service of hospitality and welcome that extends from pilgrims to tourists, to migrants, to those in grave difficulty: the poorest, the lonely, the sick, the imprisoned, the excluded” whom, he added,  “should be the most truthful witnesses of this spirit.”

“They should testify that authority is fully such when it serves everyone, when it uses its legitimate power to meet the needs of the citizens, particularly the weakest, the last.”

The Pope delivered his speech in the Hall of Flags after having been heralded by trumpets as he arrived at the magnificent Capitoline Square designed by Michelangelo on the Hill of the same name. The Capitoline – referred to in Rome as the “Campidoglio” is the seat of the Municipality; it overlooks the Roman Forum, where Pope Francis and the Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, paused before the signing of the Book of Honour, the exchange of gifts and the start of the ceremony.

Incredible history of the city of Rome

Highlighting the incredible history of the city, the Holy Father said: "I come to meet you and, through you, the entire city, which almost since its birth, about 2,800 years ago, has had a clear and constant vocation of universality."

Noting that "Ancient Rome, due to its legal development and organizational capabilities, and the construction over the centuries of solid and lasting institutions, became a beacon to which many peoples turned for stability and security."

He upheld the many virtues of ancient Roman culture, and emphasized the need for its values to evolve: "This ancient Roman culture, which undoubtedly experienced many good values, also needed to elevate itself, to confront a message of greater and deeper fraternity, love, hope, and liberation."

The values of Christianity

Pope Francis dwelt on how the spread of Christianity within Roman society, driven by the testimonies of martyrs and the charity of early Christian communities; and said Christianity offered individuals a radical hope and challenged institutions, like slavery, that were once deemed natural and unchangeable.

The Pope spoke of the transformation from the Rome of the Caesars to the Rome of the Popes and said that despite the changes, Rome’s universal vocation was not only confirmed but elevated, with the Church’s mission extending beyond geographical boundaries to proclaim Christ’s message globally.

"Many things changed, but Rome's vocation to universality was confirmed and exalted," he said.

“Many things changed, but Rome's vocation to universality was confirmed and exalted,”

Lateran Pacts

Noting that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the revision of the Lateran Pacts, Pope Francis said, "The Treaty reaffirmed that the Italian State and the Catholic Church are, 'each in its own order, independent and sovereign,' committing to the full respect of this principle in their relations and mutual collaboration for the promotion of man and the good of the country."

Inclusivity of Jubilee Year

Thus, as Rome prepares for the Jubilee of 2025, the Pope called for the city's readiness to welcome the influx of pilgrims and tourists and said active cooperation between local and national authorities cannot but benefit all.

"Even the next Jubilee can have a positive impact on the face of the city, improving its decorum and making public services more efficient, not only in the centre but also fostering the rapprochement between centre and peripheries," he said.

Reiterating Rome's universal spirit, dedicated to charity, hospitality, and serving those in need, including the poor, the lonely, the sick, the imprisoned, and the excluded, he announced his intention to open a Holy Door in one of Rome’s Prisons during the Jubilee Year.

“I have decided to open a Holy Door in a prison.”

Concluding, Pope Francis encouraged Rome to continue to showcase its true, welcoming, and noble character.

Jubilee Year: a privilege and a responsibility

He acknowledged the challenges posed by the influx of visitors and offered a new perspective for the city, explaining that the immense cultural and historical wealth of Rome is both a privilege and a responsibility for its citizens and leaders.

"Every problem it faces is the 'reverse' side of its greatness and, from a factor of crisis, it can become an opportunity for development: civil, social, economic, cultural," he said.

“From a factor of crisis, it can become an opportunity for development.”

Salus Populi Romani

Finally, he called for strengthened cooperation among all governing bodies to honour the city’s providential role and recalled his own devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani.

“Every time I came to Rome, I would visit the Salus Populi Romani and ask her to accompany me in my endeavours,” the Pope said, invoking her blessing and praying that she may “watch over the city and the people of Rome, infuse hope and inspire charity." 

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