Vatican Charge de Affairs in Juba, Ionut Paul Strejac pictured at the Vatican Embassy in Juba. (Photo: Lou Nelson).

The Vatican Charge De’ Affaires in Juba is urging South Sudanese to forgive one another and reconcile ahead of Pope Francis’ planned visit.

 Monsignor Ionut Paul is also appealing for unity among the people of South Sudan.

He is encouraging the citizens to build peace in the communities, saying this is the only way to bring stability to the country.

“We have to prepare that the message of the holy farther reaches us, and this is very important as we only have two weeks left to prepare ourselves for his coming, in a spiritual way,” Paul said in an interview with Eye Radio.

“Making peace in our family, making peace with our neighbors, making peace with the people around us, because only through people of peace, peace will come to this country and the blessing of the Holy Father pope Francis and the blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the moderator of the Church of Scotland will reach us truly.”

“So I encourage you all to prepare spiritually for his coming, for the coming of the three religious leaders, making peace and reconciliation so that the message and the blessing can reach all of us, each one of us and all of us as a country.”

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis will travel to DR Congo on January 31^st.

He will then come to Juba on the 3^rd of February and spend two alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The long-awaited visit of the Pontiff was canceled in July last year due to health problems.

The historic papal trip will mark the pope’s third visit to sub-Saharan Africa.

It will also mark the first time a pope has visited the world’s youngest nation, and only the second papal visit to the Congo, which is home to Africa’s largest Catholic population.