Pope meets young people in landmark DR Congo visit
KINSHASA: Young people packing a stadium in DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa erupted in joy on Thursday as Pope Francis entered in his popemobile, on the third day of his trip to the country.
The Argentine pontiff arrived at the Martyrs’ stadium around 9am local time (0800 GMT), offering greetings and blessings to the crowd roaring in the stands.
Young people had already begun to flock to the 80,000-seat stadium overnight, with many hoping for a papal message of peace for the Democratic Republic of Congo, a deeply observant country which has long been plagued by violence in its east.
About 60 per cent of the central African nation of roughly 100 million people is under the age of 20, according to UN figures.
As well as conflict, young people face persistent unemployment in the DRC.
On the second day of his trip, the pope had hosted a mass at Kinshasa’s airport that organisers said drew about a million people, some of whom had camped out all night to get a spot.
He then met victims of conflict in the DRC’s mineral-rich east, some of whom had suffered appalling violence.
After addressing young people in Kinshasa’s Martyrs’ stadium, the pope will later meet Jesuit leaders and priests on the front line of the church’s work in the DRC.
About 40 per cent of the country’s population is Catholic, according to official statistics, and the church retains huge influence despite secularism being enshrined in the constitution.
Francis will take his appeal for peace and reconciliation to South Sudan on Friday for a maiden three-day visit.