SOUTH SUDAN: Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace to Enhance Unity, says SSCC Ahead of Pope’s Visit
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Prior to Pope Francis and other church leaders’ visit to South Sudan in the month of February, members of South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) have noted that the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace will enhance unity among various denominations and ethnic divides in the country.
In a recent statement shared with AMECEA Online announcing the pilgrimage, representatives from various churches including Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Mulla of the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba said, “This Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace that brings together the global Church Leaders for the first time in history, will support and encourage the continued unity of Churches for the good of the nation across denominations, political and ethnic divides.”
They continued highlighting that it is “a unity which may portray a peaceful South Sudan; a unity which will show that reconciliation and forgiveness are possible and that relationships can be transformed.”
The Church officials noted in their message that the upcoming joint visit to the world’s youngest nation by the global Church leaders of the Catholic, Anglican Communion and Presbyterian family will make the pilgrimage from 3rd to 5th February 2023 “to inspire and call for Love, Hope, Peace, Justice, Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Unity.”
The global Church leaders include His Holiness Pope Francis, The Most Rev. Dr. Justin Welby Archbishop of Canterbury, and Rt. Rev. Dr. lain Greenshields Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
According to the itinerary of the three- day visit, the servants and disciples of the Global Church will arrive in Juba on Friday, February 3, and will meet with the President and the Vice Presidents of the Republic of South Sudan, politicians, diplomats, and civil society at the Presidency.
In their statement, Members of SSCC an Ecumenical body comprising of seven member Churches and associate Churches in South Sudan, His Holiness Pope Francis emphasized on the significance of prayer during this Ecumenical visit.
“I wish to commend to your prayers an important step. Archbishop Justin Welby and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, two dear brothers, will be my traveling companions when, in a few weeks’ time, we will at last be able to travel to South Sudan. Ours will be an ecumenical pilgrimage of peace. Let us pray that it may inspire Christians in South Sudan and everywhere to be promoters of reconciliation, patient weavers of concord, capable of saying no to the perverse and useless spiral of violence and of arms,” the Pontiff said.
He added, “May the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace inspire the Christians and Non-Christians in the Republic of South Sudan to be promoters of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and cohesion.
On his part, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland Most Rt. Rev. Dr. Greenshields, expressed his appreciation and willingness to be part of the pilgrimage of peace to a country that has been longing for peace since its independence.
“I am genuinely humbled at the opportunity to assist our brothers and sisters in South Sudan in the search for peace, reconciliation and justice. It is a privilege to be joining the Holy Father and the Archbishop of Canterbury on this historic Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace and we come as servants of the Global Church,” Moderator of the Church of Scotland has been quoted in the statement to have said.
He continued referencing St. Mathew the Apostle, “We call on all people in South Sudan to give expression to Jesus’ words that ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God.”
Dr. Greenshields disclosed that the invitation to represent the Presbyterian family is due to the strong partnership with the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan.
“We have been working closely together since 2015 on a vital peace, reconciliation, and conflict resolution programme. It has helped local church leaders work at both a grassroots level and political level to try and bring unnecessary conflict to an end and build lasting peace, stability, and unity,” the Church official said adding that “there is still much work to do, and the symbolism of this historic ecumenical visit sends out a very strong message about our steadfast commitment to helping the people of this country flourish for the good of all.”
Expressing their concern for solidarity as a global church, Archbishop of Canterbury Most Rev. Dr. Justin Welby said as per the SSCC’s statement, “I greatly look forward to this historic pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan with my dear brothers in Christ, Pope Francis, and the Rev. Dr. lain Greenshields. We hope to stand in solidarity with the people of South Sudan in their great struggles and we hope to support and encourage the continued unity of churches for the good of the nation.
He continued, “We hope to encourage political leaders to pursue peace in this remarkable country. We pray that the symbolism of our joint visit will show that reconciliation and forgiveness are possible – and that relationships can be transformed.”
“We come as servants and disciples following the call of Jesus Christ to be peacemakers. God has not forgotten South Sudan. At the Vatican retreat in 2019, we saw the hope that is possible when people see the image of God in one another and he never turns away from that hope. Please pray for this visit, for those who will join us and those we will meet, and please pray for South Sudan and her people,” the Archbishop concluded.
