Vatican Unveils Itinerary of Pope Francis’ July Apostolic Visit to DR Congo, South Sudan

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.

Day one 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 Apostolic Nunciature in Kinshasa.

The Holy Father has been scheduled to begin his second day in DRC, Sunday, July 3, with presiding over Holy Mass at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa. 

The Eucharistic celebration is set to be a daylong event, to be followed by an evening meeting with Bishops, Priests, women and men Religious, and Seminarians at the Cathedral "Notre Dame du Congo" of Kinshasa Archdiocese.

On July 4, the Holy Father is to fly to the city of Goma in North-Kivu, a Province in the far East of the Central African nation. In Goma, Holy Mass has been scheduled to take place at Kibumba refugee camp.

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A meeting with victims of violence in Beni, East of DRC, at the Reception Center of the Catholic Diocese of Goma has been scheduled for the late afternoon before the Pope’s return to Kinshasa.

On the morning of July 5, Pope Francis is scheduled to engage with young people and Catechists at Kinshasa’s “Martyrs' Stadium” in a 30min session that is to be followed by a farewell ceremony at the “Ndjili" international airport, from where he will leave for South Sudan.

The Holy Father is to be received at Juba international airport in a welcome ceremony before proceeding to the Presidential Palace for a courtesy visit to President 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 Presidential Palace in Juba.  

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 in Juba.

On July 6, the Pope is expected to visit internally displaced persons (IDPs) at their camp in Juba.

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

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 late afternoon.

The evening of July 6 will have the Holy Father participate in an ecumenical prayer service alongside Archbishop Welby and Rev. Wallace 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.

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There is to be a farewell ceremony at Juba international airport on July 7 midmorning before Pope Francis leaves for Rome.

When realized, the July 2-7 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.