By staff writer
His holiness Father Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church has announced a new date for his Papal mission to South Sudan next year.
This announcement came after Holy Father was forced to indefinitely suspend his apostolic mission to Juba in early July this year on his doctors’ advice following his poor knee health.
The Pope’s new scheduled visit to Juba was disclosed by the Vatican Envoy to Juba and the Apostolic Nunciature in South Sudan during a meeting with the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny in his office yesterday.
The Office of the First Vice President reported that H.E. Dr. Machar received a gift and letter from His Holiness, Pope Francis.
“His Excellency, the First Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon has today (Friday) received and met in his office with the Apostolic Nunciature in South Sudan, his grace, Msgr. Ionut Paul Strejac on Friday, 16th SEP, 2022” the Office of Dr. Riek reported.
His grace, the Msgr. Ionut Paul during their meeting said, he has been sent by His Holiness, Father Pope Francis to hand over a gift and letter to Dr. Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon.
The gift was said to be in the form of a book which contains messages of peace and reconciliation.
According to the First Vice President’s acting press secretary, Dr. Riek briefed the Pope’s Representative on the status of the Revitalized Peace Agreement and the Roadmap signed by the parties’ signatory to the agreement.
He stated that His grace, Paul commended the parties, signatory to the agreement for the progress made particularly; the graduation of the necessary unified forces, and urged the government to double efforts to continue implementing the remaining tasks of the agreement.
“The (Charge’ d’ Affairs of the Vatican Embassy) or representative of the Pope to South Sudan has revealed, His Holiness’ visit to the Country in February, 2023, and said, Father Pope Francis has mentioned his coming to South Sudan at a meeting with World religious leaders in Kazakhstan on September, 13, 2022” Dr. Riek press sectary reported.