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One million pipo attend Pope Mass for DR Congo

One million pipo attend di mass wit di Pope

Wed, 1 Feb 2023 Source: BBC

Pope Francis celebrate one of im biggest Mass for Democratic Republic of Congo, tori be say around one million pipo attend di mass for Congo capital, Kinshasha.

Big crowds start to gather before day break, including plenti schoolgirls wey wear white and dance along di Pope route.

Dem declare public holiday, so many pipo as possible fit attend.

Around half of DR Congo population na Catholic – di largest Catholic community for Africa.

E don reach more dan 37 years since Pope visit di mineral-rich but conflict-ridden kontri.

A choir of 700-pesin, bIn don dey practise together long before di pontiff bin originally dey due to visit last July, dem assemble dem specifically for di event. Di bin postpone di Pope original visit sake of poor health.

Some pipo bin complain say di Pope no dey critical of DR Congo political leadership as some bin hope, but di Mass for N'dole airport na joyful event, and di pontiff give a strong message of peace for those wey engage for conflict for di kontri.

On di second of im six-day visit to Africa, e say warring sides suppose forgive one another and grant dia opponents a "great amnesty of heart".

Im go on to tok on di benefits of cleansing one heart of "anger and remorse, of every trace of resentment and hostility".

Many see Wednesday mass to be one of di pope largest-ever mass, second only to di one wey im do for Philippines for 2014, according to Christopher Lamb, di Rome correspondent of di Catholic magazine di Tablet.

For interview wit BBC Newsday radio programme, e say Catholicism dey grow for Africa: "Dis na di future of di church and di growth of di Catholic Church for Africa really dey important for di future of Catholicism."

On Tuesday, di Pope bin meet President Félix Tshisekedi and deliver a speech wia e condemn historical exploitation of Africa resources, e describe am as a"economic colonialism".

E also address DR Congo plight, as minerals don play a key role in more than three decades of armed conflict there: make una take una "Hands comot from Democratic Republic of Congo! Comot Hand for Africa! Stop to choke Africa, dem no be mine wia you go just strip or a terrain to loot."

But, im don cancel one planned visit to di eastern city of Goma sake of security reasons. Di eastern part of DR Congo dey face serious violence as security services dey fight against armed militia groups.

According to United Nations, some six million pipo don run comot from di house for DR Congo.

Dat na one of di largest populations of displaced pipo for di world, alongside places like Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine.

Most of di displaced pipo dey for eastern provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri.

Source: BBC