Pope Francis wraps up Africa visit with plea for peace in South Sudan

Ending two of Africa's worst conflicts was the main theme of pontiff's visits to South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo

Pope Francis waves as he arrives for holy mass at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba, South Sudan. AFP

Members of the choir sing. AFP

A scarf bearing the faces of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, left, and Pope Francis. AFP

A child plays with a rosary as people wait for the Pope's arrival. Reuters

People wait for the mass. Reuters

A worshipper waits for the Pope to lead mass. Reuters

Pope Francis waves as he leaves a meeting with internally displaced people at Freedom Hall. AP

Pope Francis receives a gift. AFP

Pope Francis addresses a gathering at the Presidential Palace in Juba. Reuters

Pope Francis attends a meeting with authorities, leaders of civil society and the diplomatic corps, in the garden of the Presidential Palace. Reuters

Traditional dancers welcome Pope Francis at the Juba International Airport. AFP

Pope Francis receives a bouquet of flowers from a child. AFP

A nun in the crowd shouts that the country needs peace as Pope Francis prepares to leave in his vehicle from the airport. AP

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit receives Pope Francis. Reuters

From left, on red carpet, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Pope Francis, President Kiir and Iain Greenshields of the Church of Scotland at the Presidential Palace, in Juba. AFP

The pontiff waves as he leaves in his vehicle past crowds gathered at the entrance to the airport. AP

Traditional dancers prepare to welcome the Pope. Reuters

Security officers clear the way as Pope Francis's convoy leaves the airport. Reuters

Pope Francis is welcomed by President Salva Kiir, second from right, on arrival at Juba airport, South Sudan. AP Photo

Pope Francis is on a three-day visit to South Sudan, a country riven by the scars of civil war and extreme poverty. AFP

Honour guards at the welcome ceremony for Pope Francis in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

A sea of raised hands welcomes Pope Francis to South Sudan. Reuters

The pontiff's South Sudan visit is the second leg of a six-day trip that started in Congo. AP Photo

Pope Francis arrives at Juba International Airport. AFP

The faithful celebrate Pope Francis's arrival. Reuters

The plane carrying Pope Francis arrives in Juba for the second and final leg of the pontiff's African pilgrimage. Reuters

Nuns await the arrival of Pope Francis in Juba. AP

The visit to South Sudan is the first by a pope since the predominantly Christian nation gained independence from Sudan in 2011. AFP

Pope Francis is escorted to the plane when leaving Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. AFP

A military waits to perform as Pope Francis and his delegation departs the DRC. AFP

Pope Francis greets well-wishers before meeting bishops in Kinshasa. AP Photo

Pope Francis meets Roman Catholic bishops of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, in Kinshasa. Reuters

Pope Francis waves as he departs for South Sudan from Kinshasa. AP Photo

This is the pontiff's fifth trip to Africa. EPA

Pope Francis's visit set out to bring comfort and encouragement to two countries riven by poverty and conflict. AP Photo

Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with bishops at the National Episcopal Conference of Congo in Kinshasa. AFP

Pope Francis at a prayer meeting with priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians at Notre Dame Du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa. EPA

Pope Francis on Sunday urged the people of South Sudan to resist the "venom of hatred" so they could achieve the peace and prosperity that have eluded them through years of bloody ethnic conflicts.

In his last public engagement before flying home, the Pope presided over an open-air mass on the grounds of a mausoleum for South Sudan's liberation hero John Garang, who died in 2005. The Vatican said 100,000 people attended.

The Pope, 86, wove his homily around themes that have dominated his trip to the world's youngest nation — reconciliation and mutual forgiveness for past wrongs. He begged worshippers to shun the "blind fury of violence".

Many in the crowd sang, drummed and ululated as the Pope entered the dusty area, and his homily was repeatedly interrupted by loud cheers.

Predominantly Christian South Sudan broke away from Muslim-majority Sudan in 2011, but two years later the new nation plunged into a civil war in which 400,000 people have been killed. Despite a 2018 peace deal between the two main antagonists, bouts of fighting have continued to kill and displace large numbers of civilians.

At the end of the service, in a farewell address shortly before heading to the airport, the Pope thanked the people of South Sudan for the affection they showed him.

"Dear brothers and sisters, I return to Rome with you even closer to my heart," he told them. "Never lose hope. And lose no opportunity to build peace. May hope and peace dwell among you. May hope and peace dwell in South Sudan!"

The Pope has had a longstanding interest in South Sudan. In one of the most remarkable gestures of his papacy, he knelt to kiss the feet of the country's previously warring leaders during a meeting at the Vatican in 2019.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the global Anglican Communion, and Iain Greenshields, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, accompanied the Pope.

The "pilgrimage of peace" was the first time in Christian history that leaders of the Catholic, Anglican and Reformed traditions have conducted a joint foreign visit.

The three left the South Sudanese capital Juba on the same flight and were expected to land in Rome at 5.15pm (1615 GMT).

Earlier on his Africa trip, the Pope visited Democratic Republic of Congo, home to the continent's largest Roman Catholic community, where he celebrated mass for a million people and heard harrowing stories from some harmed by war in the east of the country.

Among the worshippers in Juba was Ferida Modon, 72, who lost three of her children in the conflict.

"I want peace to come to South Sudan. Yes, I believe that his visit will change the situation. We are now tired of conflict," she said. "We want God to listen to our prayers."

Jesilen Gaba, 42, a widow with four children, said: "The fact that the three churches united for the sake of South Sudan, this is the turning point for peace. I want the visit to be a blessing to us. We have been at war, we have lost many people."

Francis made another appeal for an end to the tribalism, financial wrongdoing and political cronyism at the root of many of the country's problems.

He urged the people to build "good human relationships as a way of curbing the corruption of evil, the disease of division, the filth of fraudulent business dealings and the plague of injustice".

South Sudan has some of the largest crude oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa but a UN report in 2021 said the country's leaders had diverted "staggering amounts of money and other wealth" from public coffers and resources.

The government dismissed the report and has denied accusations of widespread corruption.