Pope Africa Visit

Kinshasa – On Friday, Pope Francis will conclude his tour to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and begin a three-day visit to South Sudan to encourage peace and reconciliation in a nation still suffering from the effects of civil conflict.

Francis will make his first papal visit to South Sudan since the largely Christian country earned independence from the Muslim-majority Sudan.

South Sudan has also struggled to find peace since becoming a state; a five-year civil war has left the fledgling nation very poor, with 4 million people having been displaced.

The 86-year-old is anticipated to meet with war casualties as well as the country’s political and church leaders, between prayers and an outdoor mass that is expected to draw large crowds.