Pope Francis wraps up South Sudan trip, urges end to ‘blind fury’ of violence

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the global Anglican Communion, and Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, accompanied the pope during his visit to South Sudan.

The "pilgrimage of peace" was the first time in Christian history that leaders of the Catholic, Anglican and Reformed traditions conducted a joint foreign visit.

[1/6] Pope Francis greets people during the Holy Mass at John Garang Mausoleum, during his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan, February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

The three left the South Sudanese capital Juba on the same flight and were expected to land in Rome at around 5:15 p.m. (1615 GMT).

HOPE OF A TURNING POINT

Earlier on his Africa trip, the pope visited Democratic Republic of Congo, home to the continent's largest Roman Catholic community, where he celebrated Mass for a million people and heard harrowing stories from people harmed by war in the eastern part of the country.

Among the worshippers at Sunday's Mass in Juba was Ferida Modon, 72, who lost three of her children to conflict.

"I want peace to come to South Sudan. Yes, I believe that his visit will change the situation. We are now tired of conflict," she said. "We want God to listen to our prayers."

Jesilen Gaba, 42, a widow with four children, said: "The fact that the three Churches united for the sake of South Sudan, this is the turning point for peace. I want the visit to be a blessing to us. We have been at war, we have lost many people."

Francis made another appeal for an end to the tribalism, financial wrongdoing and political cronyism at the root of many of the country's problems.

He urged the people to build "good human relationships as a way of curbing the corruption of evil, the disease of division, the filth of fraudulent business dealings and the plague of injustice".

South Sudan has some of the largest crude oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa but a U.N. report in 2021 said the country's leaders had diverted "staggering amounts of money and other wealth" from public coffers and resources.

The government dismissed the report and has denied accusations of widespread corruption.