Cardinal-elect and Archbishop Stephen Ameyu (File photo)

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Juba has appealed to South Sudanese to celebrate Christmas and New Year festivals with joy in their hearts and hope for a better 2023.

South Sudan has been through stormy times since its independence, according to reports.

The country, which is recovering from a vicious civil war, is currently struggling with the impact of years of flooding, communal violence, and an economic crisis characterized by inflation and high commodity prices.

Archbishop Stephen Ameyu says having hope is the only thing that uplifts people’s spirit to work together for positive change in their society.

During his Christmas address in Juba yesterday, Bishop Ameyu said God wants his people to be resilient and hopeful for better days.

“He [God] needs us to see ourselves and others, our church and our country, our World with hopeful eyes so that we can work through as in living in life-giving ways, hope to lift us up,” said Bishop Ameyu.

“Christmas is a joyous and hopeful time; it encourages us to change ourselves and our societies for the better.”

Bishop Ameyu went on to call on South Sudanese to work together for justice and love each other to keep hope alive.

“It is only that we listen to the spirit of God so that we are able to work for justice, mercy, love and to keep hope alive in our struggling country in particular and in the World at large,” Bishop Ameyu said.

The Christmas celebration, an important religious and cultural event in the Christian calendar, starts tomorrow December 24 under tight security in Juba and the states.