Pope Francis has landed in Kinshasa ahead of his two-nation visit to the continent.
The AFP news agency has filed some early pictures:
The Pope is due to hold a mass in the city on Wednesday. The Democratic Republic of Congo has Africa’s largest Roman Catholic community.
The pontiff is due to travel to South Sudan on Friday.
Before his arrival there was a welcome party waiting for Pope to land:
Thousands of people gathered to greet Pope Francis when he touches down at the airport in Kinshasa shortly.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to Africa’s biggest Catholic community, and this will be the country’s first papal visit in nearly four decades.
Later in the week, he was expected to join by the Church of England’s most senior cleric, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland when he travels to South Sudan.
He’s expected to urge political leaders to bring an end to years of hostilities. Both Congo and South Sudan have suffered decades of war and instability.
Here are some of the well-wishers gearing up to greet the pontiff in Kinshasa:
