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Cardinal Parolin in South Sudan: Humble service can overcome ‘plague of revenge’ (Vatican News)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s Secretary of State, traveled to South Sudan to promote peace in the nation, still suffering from the lingering effects of civil war. Pope Francis made an apostolic journey there in February, spending three days in Juba, the nation’s capital; Cardinal Parolin visited refugees in Malakal.

The nation of 11.5 million (map) is 61% Christian (38% Catholic), 32% ethnic religionist, and 7% Muslim. It gained independence from largely Muslim Sudan in 2011.

Prior to visiting South Sudan, Cardinal Parolin traveled to the southwestern African nation of Angola (map), where he met with the nation’s president and ordained Father Germano Penemote to the episcopate. The Angolan priest is a Vatican diplomat; in June, Pope Francis named him apostolic nuncio to Pakistan.