Pope Francis to Realize Postponed Trip to Africa, Vatican Unveils Itinerary

The program further indicates that the Holy Father will proceed to the Presidential Suite of the "Palais de la Nation" where a courtesy visit to President Félix Tshisekedi has been scheduled. 

The 45min courtesy visit to the President of DRC will be followed by another 45min meeting with authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in the garden of the "Palais de la Nation" in Kinshasa.

The Holy Father has been scheduled to begin his second day in DRC, Wednesday, February 1, with presiding over Holy Mass at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa. 

The Eucharistic celebration is to be followed by a meeting with victims from the Eastern part of the country at the Apostolic Nunciature. The Holy Father will also meet with representatives from some charities at the Apostolic Nunciature.

On Thursday, 2 February 2023, Pope Francis is scheduled to engage with young people and Catechists at Kinshasa’s “Martyrs' Stadium”, to be followed by a meeting with Priests, women and men Religious, and Seminarians at the Cathedral "Notre Dame du Congo" of Kinshasa Archdiocese.

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Day three of the DRC trip is to conclude with Pope Francis’ “customary” private meeting with his confreres, members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), at the Kinshasa-based Apostolic Nunciature.

On the morning of Friday, 3 February 2023, the Holy Father is expected to meet members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), to be followed by a farewell ceremony at the “Ndjili" international airport, from where he will leave for South Sudan.

On the same day, Pope Francis is to be received at Juba international airport in a welcome ceremony before proceeding to the Presidential Palace for a courtesy visit to the President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir.

The 30min meeting with President Kiir is to be followed by a 45min meeting with the Vice Presidents of South Sudan at the Juba-based Presidential Palace.  

In his last official activity of his first day in South Sudan, Pope Francis is scheduled to engage with authorities and members of the diplomatic corps in the garden of the Presidential Palace.

On Saturday, 4 February 2023, Pope Francis is to meet with Bishops, members of the Clergy, women and men Religious, and Seminarians at St. Theresa's Cathedral of Juba Archdiocese.

He is then scheduled to meet privately with Jesuits in South Sudan in the Apostolic Nunciature. 

The Pope is also expected to visit internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Freedom Hall in Juba.

In the evening, the Holy Father has been scheduled to participate in an ecumenical prayer service alongside Archbishop Welby and Rev. Greenshields at the John Garang Mausoleum. 

The same venue is scheduled to host Holy Mass on the morning of the last day of the ecumenical trip, on Sunday, 5 February 2023, to be followed by a farewell ceremony at Juba international airport at midmorning before Pope Francis leaves for Rome.

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When realized, the 31 January-5 February 2023 pastoral trip to the two African countries will mark Pope Francis’ third visit to sub-Saharan Africa. 

The journey will be the first-ever Papal visit to South Sudan and the third Papal trip to DRC, which is home to Africa's largest Catholic population.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.