The global religious leaders are calling on South Sudan authorities to open a new path of peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
In his 2 minutes video message, Pope Francis urged those in leadership to reconcile the country, embrace forgiveness, lay down firearms, and open a new page of brother and sisterhood.
Pope Francis was to visit the Congolese capital Kinshasa two days ago before proceeding to Juba.
However, the 85-year-old Pontiff postponed both trips due to a knee and leg ailment.
Last week, the Catholic Archdiocese of Juba said the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin will tomorrow visit South Sudan ahead of the yet-to-be scheduled Papal visit.
However, in the meantime, Pope Francis encourages South Sudan and DR Congo to fill the current generation with light and the future.
“You have a great mission, all of you, beginning with the political authorities: that of turning the page to open new paths, the paths of reconciliation, paths of forgiveness, paths of serene coexistence and development,” Pope stated in his 2 minutes video message.
“It is a mission to assume looking together to the future, to the many young people who populate your flourishing and wounded lands, filling them with light and future,
“They dream and deserve to see these dreams realized and to see days of peace. For their sake, it is necessary to lay down arms, overcome resentment and write new pages of brotherhood.”
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says they are in solidarity with South Sudanese who are displaced due to violent conflict and flood.
“I see the flood that endangers your homes, I see the famine that makes each struggle and I see the violence that overshadows all of life. Many of you cannot return to your homes, God sees,” Justin Welby said.
“Pope Francis, Moderator Iain, and I want to stand in solidarity with you in your hope for peace. This was promised during the spiritual retreat at the Vatican in 2019,
“We promised to visit and your leaders promised to work together for the good of all South Sudanese I pray and urge that your leaders will remember this commitment.”
For his part, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Dr. Iain Greenshields says South Sudan is very much in their thoughts and they look forward to coming.
“We were supposed to be with you in South Sudan in Juba this week unfortunately due to the Pope’s health that is not possible,” Dr. Iain Greenshields said.
“We do look forward to determining when we will be able to come and share in our joint pilgrimage of peace with ourselves, the Anglican Communion, and the Roman Catholic Church,
“We are very much looking forward to the opportunity and we would like you to know that you are very much in our thoughts and our prayers.”
