VATICAN: Unveils Logo, Motto of Pope Francis’ July Visit to South Sudan
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA and Ginaba Lino
Following the upcoming Pope’s visit to the world’s youngest nation in the month of July 2022, officials of Holy See Press on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 unveiled the logo and motto that will mark the official visit of the Holy Father.
The motto that will signify Pope Francis’ maiden apostolic visit to Juba, South Sudan from July 5-7, is drawn from the Gospel of St. John the Apostle when Jesus prayed to the Father “I pray that all may be one.”
According to Vatican report, the icons in the logo includes “a dove, the outline of the map of South Sudan with the colours of the flag, the cross, and two clasping hands in a firm handshake.”
The Vatican officials narrate that the dove carrying an olive branch represents the desire for peace, the hand shake represents reconciliation of various ethnic tribes that make up one nation, and the cross represents the country’s Christian heritage and its history of suffering and then the inscription “Pope Francis in South Sudan” and the date of the Apostolic Journey.
After a two-day meeting by members of Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SSCBC), they launched the logo and motto of the Pope’s visit on Wednesday 23.
Archbishop Stephen Martin Ameyu of Juba Archdiocese expressed that the Pope’s visit is because of his concern to the people of South Sudan and also to be in solidarity with them.
“First of all the Holy Father is a pastor and the first important visit that he makes to people whether they are Christians or non-Christians is always pastoral in nature. So the Holy Father would like to come to visit South Sudan because he is a pastor and also from the religious prospective.”
He adds, “The Holy Father is not only religious, but he is also concerned about the lives of people generally, he is concerned about politics in South Sudan, he is concerned of all our lives and he comes in solidarity with South Sudanese. So this visit will be treated as religious visit, but above all he comes to see all the people whether they are politicians, or religious they will be all included even non-believers.”
On the other hand the Minister of the Presidential affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, expressed government’s gratitude to the Vatican embassy for announcing the visit of the Holy Father to the country.
He promised that the government of South Sudan is willing to cooperate with the Church leadership and the Vatican to see that the visit is successful.
Early this month Pope Francis expressed desire to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan from July 2-7, which will mark his third Papal trip to Sub-Saharan Africa after vising Kenya, Uganda and the Central Republic in 2015 and then Mozambique, Mauritius and Madagascar in 2019
