Thousands attended the ecumenical prayers led by Pope Francis and the two eminent faith leaders on Saturday. (Photo: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio).

Pope Francis said that those who unleash war betray the Lord during the evening ecumenical prayer on Saturday.

Speaking to a mammoth crowd at Dr. John Garang Mausoleum, Francis, 86, said many prayers have now been raised to heaven in the name of South Sudan which is “wracked by years of violence.”

The pontiff likened South Sudan liberation struggle to the journey of Israelite out of Egypt, and talked about the dramatic crossing of the Red Sea.

“Does that not perhaps remind us of the early days of this country, caught between the waters of death; the disastrous flooding that hits the country and the brutal violence of war,” he said.

“Let us pray that South Sudanese, like the people of God in the scripture, may come to the promised land, let us pray in a spirit of serenity, equitable provision will be made for the youth of its rich and fertile land, and the country will be crowned with a promised peace that sadly has not yet come.”

The pope said the peace of God comes from uniting and not absorbing, from pardoning and not overpowering, from reconciling and not imposing.

“Let us work tirelessly for the peace that the spirit of Jesus and the father urges use to build, a peace that integrates diversity and promotes unity in plurality.”

“The peace in Holy Spirit harmonizes differences, whereas the spirit hostile to God and humanity uses diversity as a mean of division.”

“Brothers and sisters, those who would call themselves Christians must choose which side to today, those who choose Christ choose peace always. Those who unleashes war betray the Lord and deny his gospel.”

For his last public event on the second day in South Sudan, Pope Francis participates in an ecumenical prayer event at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba.

The ecumenical prayer on the second day of his visit with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was also attended by President Salva Kiir, First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and all the Vice Presidents.

Earlier on Saturday, Francis called for peace as he met hundreds of internally displaced persons at Freedom Hall in the capital Juba.

“I want to renew my forceful and heartfelt appeal to end all conflict and to resume the peace process in a serious way,” he said and warned that “there is no room for delay.”

The pope’s visit to South Sudan came days after the first leg of his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo where he held Mass for 1 million people.

He will wind up his historic Apostolic Journey to South Sudan with a morning Mass at the Mausoleum on Sunday, before departing to Vatican.