AFRICA/SUD SUDAN - Until the very end, Pope Francis sent letters to South Sudanese leaders urging them to work for peace

Juba (Fides Agency ) - “Pope Francis worked until the very end for peace in South Sudan,” Sister Elena Balatti, a Comboni missionary in South Sudan, told Fides Agency.
“Unfortunately, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war. Despite his illness, Pope Francis sent letters to President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Reik Machar, now under house arrest, asking them to work for peace,” said the missionary.
At the beginning of March, tensions rose between the faction led by President Kiir and that headed by Machar, who was placed under house arrest on March 26 (see Fides 27/3/2025).
“The Holy Father was remembered by South Sudanese people with numerous messages of condolence on social media. The local population remembers well his visit to South Sudan in February 2023,” Sister Elena points out.
“The Presidency of South Sudan declared April 25 a national day of mourning for the death of Pope Francis. President Salva Kiir Mayardit, in his message of condolence, explicitly recalled this visit and emphasized that the South Sudanese people understood very well how special a place South Sudan had in the heart of Pope Francis, who worked so hard for peace and brotherhood in this country. The President also recalled the historic gesture with which, after inviting the country's government and opposition leaders to the Vatican in 2019, he kissed their feet in that ecumenical moment together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, Rev. John Chalmers.”
“The Pope's visit, his gesture of kissing the feet of government and opposition leaders, and the closeness he showed to South Sudan during his illness from the Gemelli Hospital will remain in the hearts of all South Sudanese who remember him with gratitude,” concluded the missionary. (LM) (Fides Agency 3/5/2025)

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