Pope Francis left Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport at 8:29 am and is expected to arrive in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, at 3 pm that day. This is his 40th international pastoral journey, which took place in Kinshasa and Juba.
(Vatican News Network) Pope Francis launched his 40th international pastoral journey from January 31 to February 5, visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. Both African countries are in a state of extreme conflict, with people plagued by poverty and violence despite both having rich underground resources. The two countries, both on the fringes of the world, have been looking forward to the arrival of Peter’s successor after the Pope’s planned visit last July was cancelled.
The Pope departed from Rome Leonardo da Vinci International Airport at 8:29 a.m. on January 31 and is expected to arrive in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, at 3 p.m. that day. Pope Francis called the visit a “peaceful catholic” journey during the reading of the Angelus last Sunday. The night before his visit, he went to the Basilica of Our Lady in the center of Rome, prayed in front of the statue of the Mother of the Roman People, and entrusted his trip to Africa to the help of the Virgin.
Before going to the airport, the Pope received refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan at Casa Santa Marta, accompanied by Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Prefect of the Congregation for Charity. The refugees and their families are hosted by the Astari Refugee Centre.
After arriving at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, the Pope’s car stopped briefly near the King & Wood Mallesons Monument. Those killed were 13 Italian pilots who died in the Congo on November 11, 1961. Pope Francis offered his prayers for the victims of that bloody massacre, and for all those who died in humanitarian and peaceful missions.
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Pope visits Congo (Kinshasa) and South Sudan