On July 2, the day Pope Francis had planned to begin an apostolic journey to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, the Pontiff addressed a video message to the peoples of the two nations.
The Pope postponed the apostolic journey at the advice of his doctors.
“You have a great mission, all of you, beginning with your political leaders: it is that of turning a page in order to blaze new trails, new paths of reconciliation and forgiveness, of serene coexistence and of development,” Pope Francis said. “It is a mission that you must take up together.”