VATICAN: Pope Francis Postpones his Apostolic Visit to South Sudan at Doctors Request
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Few weeks to his long-awaited visit to South Sudan that was scheduled for July, the Holy See Press office has on Friday, June 10, announced that Pope Francis has postponed the trip to a later date.
“At the request of his doctors, and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan, planned for 2 to 7 July, to a later date to be determined,” reads the message from Vatican.
The people of South Sudan have been preparing for the visit which was to include other Church leaders; Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Jim Wallace making the trip ecumenical.
In a recent message shared with AMECEA Online Tuesday, June 7, various groups including youths have been preparing for pilgrim journey to Juba ahead of the visit.
“On the occasion of the Pope’s visit, pilgrims from all over the country will meet in Juba… pilgrims will cover about 400 hundred kilometers in seven days partly on foot and partly by car while they will stop in “parishes and take the opportunity to pray and animate young people about the reality that peace is a journey that we must undertake together,” Bishop Christian Carlassare noted in the message.
