Pope Francis makes first Africa visit today

Pope Francis will make his first trip to Africa on November 25 to 30, visiting Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic. Africa is home to the fastest-growing number of Catholics in the world. The number of Catholics in Africa grew to 200 million people in 35 years. That is a 238 percent increase. President Uhuru Kenyatta, himself a Catholic is expected to welcome the Pope in Nairobi up on arrival Wednesday at 6pm while in Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to welcome the Pope as he embarks on the tour. Kenya is the first stop on Pope Francis first visit to Africa as pope; there, too, he will meet with ecumenical and interreligious leaders, but he also will visit the Kangemi slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. In Uganda, more than 2 million people are expected to attend a papal mass at the Martyrs’ Shrine near Kampala, which commemorates the burning to death in 1886 of 32 young Christian men for refusing to renounce their faith. The 22 Catholics among them were canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1964. The Ugandan army, police and intelligence organisations are coordinating preparations for the visit. More than 10,000 police officers would be on the streets in and around the capital, said Fred Enanga, Uganda police spokesperson, adding “they will be very vigilant”. Pope Francis became the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican in March 2013. Since then, he has shaken the Catholic Church with his progressive views. He has been less conservative on issues like homosexuality and divorce. Concerns have been heightened by recent terror attacks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. he pontiff’s six-day trip, which begins on Wednesday, is likely to be dominated by issues of conflict and violence, poverty and inequality, and extreme homophobia. Despite speculation that the CAR leg of the tour would be cancelled, the Vatican is pressing ahead with plans for the pope to spend 26 hours in the capital, Bangui, where his schedule includes a visit to a mosque in a volatile part of the city. However, his itinerary will be under constant review, said his spokesman, Federico Lombardi. Francis plans to ride in an open pope mobile in Bangui, Lombardi said, while denying reports he would wear a bulletproof vest. The Vatican acknowledged that the recent attacks in Paris had led to tighter security. Its security chief, Domenico Giani, is due to travel to CAR to assess the situation before the pope’s arrival.

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Pope Francis makes first Africa visit today