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In Kinshasa, the bustling capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Christians take to churchyards to purchase T-shirts and wax tissues adorned with the image of Pope Francis ahead of his arrival on January 31. flock to the impromptu market stalls.
Pope souvenirs became a top-selling item in the city before the Pope of Argentina made a four-day trip to the deeply religious Central African country.
Many in the Democratic Republic of the Congo see the pope’s visit as a chance to defuse tensions in the east, where M23 rebels have occupied parts of the territory since last year, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Berthe Baleweya came to the Cathedral of Notre Dame du Congo in Kinshasa to purchase a Francis-themed wax cloth.
Emmanuel Wem, who runs a Catholic charity, buys and tailors wax prints of the Pope’s face.
“We expect a message of peace from him at this moment of turmoil in the DRC,” she said.
More than one million worshipers are expected to attend an open-air mass at Kinshasa’s Ndoro Airport on February 1.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a traditionally Catholic nation of over 90 million people.
conflict in the east
Pope Francis was scheduled to arrive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in July last year, but was postponed due to health concerns.
Many also speculate that escalating conflict in eastern Congo, where the Pope was due to visit, prompted a second thought.
The M23 rebel group, allegedly backed by Rwanda, has launched attacks against the Congolese army and recently fled Goma, a commercial hub and capital of North Kivu province for more than one million people. Coming within a few miles.
According to the new program, Pope Francis will no longer be traveling to eastern Congo, but will meet victims of the conflict in Kinshasa.
Some are disappointed. Guello Mandela, youth coordinator for Goma Diocese, said young people were disappointed that the city was not included in their itineraries.
Aid activist Emmanuel Wem said he hoped the Pope’s visit would bring about reconciliation with Rwanda.
Diplomatic relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its smaller neighbor have hit rock bottom since the eruption of the M23 crisis in late 2021. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels. Regions of the country have vast mineral resources and over xx active armed groups are suspected of looting.
Pope Francis’ security in Kinshasa remains a concern, particularly due to the threat of militias from the east.
The United Democratic Forces, which the Islamic State group claims in its affiliates, bombed a Pentecostal church in eastern Congo on January 15, killing 14 people.
ADF has so far operated only in the eastern DRC, more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from the capital.
religious celebration
Ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Kinsha, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Congo organizes three days of prayers for specific intentions known as triduums.
A memorial service will be held at the Ndolo Military Airport on the evening of January 31, ahead of the Pope’s Mass the next morning, according to the cathedral’s priest, Father Camille Ecica.
** Billboards and banners were hung all over Kinshasa to welcome Francis on his first papal visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Pope John Paul II in 1985.
**
Preparatory work is underway at the 20-acre (8-hectare) site where up to 1.5 million people will pray for Mass.
“Whether it rains or not that day, the event will take place,” said Jesu Noel Sheke, the project’s technical coordinator.
Justin Marie Bayara, a teacher who attended a recent Mass at Notre Dame du Congo, like many, aroused great anticipation.
“We believe he will bring us lasting peace,” said Bayara.
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