Head of Catholic Church Worldwide, Pope Francis, in a dramatic gesture
after an unprecedented retreat at the Vatican, knelt to kiss the feet of
South Sudan’s previously warring leaders on Thursday as he urged them
not to return to a civil war.
He
appealed to President
Salva Kiir, his former deputy turned rebel leader
Riek Machar, and three other vice presidents to respect an armistice
they signed and commit to forming a unity government next month.
am asking you as a brother to stay in peace. I am asking you with my
heart, let us go forward. There will be many problems but they will not
overcome us. Resolve your problems,” Francis said.The
leaders appeared to be stunned as the 82-year-old pope, who suffers
from chronic leg pain, was helped by aides as he knelt with difficulty
to kiss the shoes of the two main opposing leaders and several other
people in the room.His appeal
was made even more pressing as anxiety grew in South Sudan that
Thursday’s coup in neighboring Sudan might put at risk the fragile peace
deal that ended South Sudan’s brutal five-year civil war.
The Vatican brought together South Sudanese leaders for 24 hours of
prayer and preaching inside the pope’s residence in an attempt to heal
bitter divisions before the country is due to set up a unity
government.
● Agency reports
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