Nine Things You May Have Missed from Pope Francis’ Visit to Africa

2. Football

A couple of young Scholas members in Mozambique, an international organization promoted by Pope Francis, made a particular offering to the Pontiff: a plastic football.

According to Raquel and Celestino, Pope Francis told them that he used to play football with a similar ball in his childhood.

Scholas has given a similar ball to Lionel Messi.

Raquel y Celestino han estado esta mañana con el #Papa. Le han entregado un balón de #fútbol de plástico con el que juegan habitualmente. Y le han contado que su paisano #Messi tiene otro igual.
Forman parte del proyecto que @InfoScholas tiene en #Mozambique @COPE @TRECE_es pic.twitter.com/SrrnUOpRWt

— Eva Fernández (@evaenlaradio) September 5, 2019

3. The expenses

Bishop Antonio Juliasse, the Auxiliary Bishop of Maputo who coordinated the Papal trip to Mozambique informed ACI Africa about the expenses. "Our overall budget was 12million Mozambican Metical ($200,000.00). The main expenditure has gone to the group with the Holy Father. When the Pope visits, we were told that we are in charge of all the expenses of the people accompanying the Pope. They have to stay in the hotel, they have to move, to eat, etc.", he said.

4. A big "screen"

40% of Mozambique's inhabitants have electricity and most of them could not follow the TV broadcast of the Pope's visit.

Thus, the Argentinian missionary Juan Gabriel Arias, pastor of St. Benedict of Mangundze, improvised a screen in the temple with a solar panel and a sheet to let people watch the Papal Mass at Maputo.

Pusimos una tela grande en la Iglesia y vamos a proyectar la misa del Papa Francisco.
Están llegando las personas de las comunidades. pic.twitter.com/9rWzBrYZuV

— Juan Gabriel Arias (@P_JuanGabriel) September 6, 2019

Francisco está en Mozambique estos días, pero la mayoría de sus habitantes no están siguiendo su visita en televisión. No tienen electricidad.
El misionero argentino Juan Gabriel Arias, con un poco de ingenio, una sábana y un panel solar, ha montado una pantalla. @EFEnoticias pic.twitter.com/06Q8hgdw9V

— Cristina Cabrejas (@cristinacg74) September 6, 2019

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5. Liturgical vestments

Mozambican artists made the liturgical vestments for the Pope, all the bishops and priests who celebrated the public Mass in Mozambique. They embroidered the official logo of the Holy Father's visit to the country.

#PopeFrancis celebrating Holy Mass with the faithful of #Mozambique.

Photos by @EdwardPentin who is on the field. Be sure to follow him and @aciafricanews for all of the latest updates during the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey to Mozambique, #Madagascar and #Mauritius. pic.twitter.com/7NRKBDd9Sq

— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) September 6, 2019

6. "Dios está aquí" (God is here)

Thousands of children received Pope Francis in Akamasoa (City of Friendship), Madagascar, singing a song in Spanish.

They sang along Fr. Pedro Opeka, an Argentine missionary who developed a project focused on education and work, which would restore the dignity of thousands of families immersed in extreme poverty.

This beautiful rendition went viral on social media.