Pope Francis - courtesy

The Vatican Embassy in Juba has announced that Pope Francis will visit South Sudan on the 5th of July this year.

The announcement was made this afternoon by the Chargé d’affaires at the Vatican Embassy in South Sudan today.

This comes a month after the Global Anglican Communion revealed that the Holy Father and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby intended to visit South Sudan to encourage the 2018 peace process.

Monsignor Ionut Paul Streyac told reporters that Pope Francis will first visit the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo before coming to South Sudan.

“At the invitation of their respective heads of states and Bishops, His Holiness Pope Francis will make an apostolic journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo from the 2nd – 5th July 2022, visiting the cities of Kinshasa and Goma and to South Sudan  from the 5th – 7th July 2022 visiting Juba.” Streyac said.

Speaking on behalf of the Presidency, the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin welcomed the anticipated Papal visit.

“The government is extremely happy to hear that our Grace and His Holiness Pope Francis will be visiting the Republic of South Sudan as announced,”

“The government and its leadership are prepared and willing to give a great welcome that the people of South Sudan have been waiting for, for many years.

“We are asking our Christian population across the whole country to receive His Holiness the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church that are coming to see the Christian population in this country.

“The government is willing to cooperate with the church leadership and the Vatican to see that this visit becomes a success. That is the official position of the government of the Republic of South Sudan.”

Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby had sought to visit South Sudan in 2017, but violent conflict and deteriorating conditions then had foiled the plans.