Juba, South Sudan
CNN
—
Pope Francis called for peace on Saturday as he met a group of several hundred South Sudanese people internally displaced by war at an event in the country’s capital Juba.
“I want to renew my forceful and heartfelt appeal to end all conflict and to resume the peace process in a serious way,” the pope told the crowd gathered in the Freedom Hall.
“There is no room for delay,” Francis said to applause. His words echoed his message to the country’s leaders Friday evening when he criticized the “stagnant” peace process.
The pope’s visit to South Sudan came days after the 86-year-old held Mass for 1 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), another country grappling with poverty and strife. Francis’ trip to the DRC – the first papal visit since 1985 – came as the African nation is beset by armed fighting and a…
2023-02-04 12:40:12 Pope Francis pleads for peace as he meets South Sudanese people displaced by war
Link from www.cnn.com Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church and spiritual leader of over 1.2 billion Christians around the world, took a powerful stand for peace and love on April 18th when he made a personal plea for peace to those suffering from the effects of violence and displacement caused by the civil war in South Sudan.
During his visit to Rome, the Pope embraced members of a delegation from the country and prayed for strength and blessings for their cause of peace and reconciliation, asking for “the intercession of your anguished cries, so that justice and peace may reign in South Sudan”.
This was the Pope’s first visit to the nation of South Sudan since it gained independence from Sudan nine years ago. Unfortunately, since then, ethnic, political and religious disputes have led to a long and devastating civil war, causing displacement of many people.
In a call to action, the Pope addressed the deep corruptive powers of war and eloquently articulated the people’s need for stability and peace.
The Pope’s visit to South Sudan was part of his second overseas tour that began in Rwanda, and finished in Italy. During this time, he held six separate meetings with world leaders, politicians and church figures in order to address the dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan and promote peace.
This demonstration of peaceful engagement is part of Pope Francis’ much larger effort to promote global solidarity and nonviolence. His actions here show that he is highly devoted to the pursuit of global solutions to the conflict in South Sudan, making it clear that he is committed to the cause of peace and the protection of human rights.
Pope Francis’s visit to South Sudan serves an important reminder for all of us that we are all part of the same global community, and that we can all make meaningful contributions to bring about peace in our world.