Pope Francis disembarks a plane at Juba International Airport during his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan, February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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Pope Francis arrived on Friday in South Sudan, a young African nation struggling with war, poverty and floods, for an unprecedented joint “pilgrimage of peace” with his Anglican and Scottish Presbyterian counterparts.
South Sudan broke away from Sudan to become independent in 2011 after decades of conflict, but civil war erupted in 2013. Despite a 2018 peace deal between the two main antagonists, violence and hunger still plague the country.
On the eve of the pope’s arrival, 27 people were killed in Central Equatoria state, where the country’s capital Juba is located, in tit-for-tat violence between cattle herders and a local militia.
In a first, the pope will be accompanied during his time in South Sudan by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the global Anglican Communion, and by Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Together, the three leaders represent the main religious traditions active in South Sudan, a predominantly Christian nation.
Pope Francis’ plane arrives at Juba International Airport amid his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaPeople react as Pope Francis arrives at Juba International Airport amid his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaA man carries the national flags as he welcomes Pope Francis ahead of his apostolic journey, at the Juba International airport in Juba, South Sudan February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaPope Francis attends a meeting with priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians at the Our Lady of the Congo Cathedral during his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Yara NardiPeople react as Pope Francis arrives at Juba International Airport amid his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaPope Francis greets people before his meeting with Roman Catholic bishops at CENCO (National Episcopal Conference of Congo), during his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Yara NardiPope Francis interacts with people before his meeting with Roman Catholic bishops at CENCO (National Episcopal Conference of Congo), during his apostolic journey, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
