Papa Leo ameanza ziara ya siku 10 barani Afrika siku ya Jumatatu, akilenga kuwahimiza viongozi wa dunia kushughulikia mahitaji ya bara hilo ambako kwa Takwimu za Vatican zinaonyesha kuwa zaidi ya asilimia 20 ya Wakatoliki duniani wanaishi Afrika, huku nchi tatu kati ya zile anazotembelea Kusini mwa Jangwa la Sahara zikiwa na zaidi ya nusu ya wakazi wao wakijitambulisha kama Wakatoliki.
Papa huyo wa kwanza kutoka Marekani anaanza ziara yake nchini Algeria kwa siku mbili, kabla ya kuelekea Cameroon, Angola na Equatorial Guinea katika safari ya haraka itakayomfikisha katika miji na maeneo 11 tofauti. Kwa jumla, atasafiri takriban kilomita 18,000 kupitia safari 18 za ndege.
Kwa mujibu wa Kadinali Michael Czerny, afisa mwandamizi wa Vatican na mshauri wa karibu wa Papa Leo, ziara hiyo inalenga “kuisaidia dunia kuelekeza macho yake zaidi Afrika.”
Tangu achaguliwe Mei 2025, Papa Leo—anayejulikana kwa ukosoaji wake wa wazi kuhusu vita ya Iran—amefanya ziara moja kubwa tu nje ya nchi, akitembelea Uturuki na Lebanon kati ya Novemba na Desemba, na pia alifika Monaco mwezi Machi.
Hii ni ziara ya 24 ya papa barani Afrika tangu mwishoni mwa miaka ya 1960.
Katika hotuba 25 alizopanga kutoa ndani ya siku 10, Papa Leo anatarajiwa kugusia masuala mbalimbali, kulingana na msemaji wa Vatican Matteo Bruni. Mada hizo zinajumuisha unyonyaji wa rasilimali asilia, mazungumzo kati ya Wakatoliki na Waislamu, pamoja na hatari za rushwa katika siasa.
===============
Pope Leo begins an ambitious 10-day tour of four countries in Africa on Monday urging global leaders to address needs on the continent where more than a fifth of the world's Catholics live.
The first U.S. pope heads to Algeria for two days before continuing to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in a whirlwind tour to 11 cities and towns, traversing nearly 18,000 km (11,185 miles) over 18 flights. The pope is making the visit with a mission "to help turn the world's attention to Africa", Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official and close adviser to Leo, told Reuters.
The pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, has made only one big overseas trip since being elected last May, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in November and December. He visited Monaco in March.
Leo, aged 70, relatively young and in good health for a pope, is undertaking one of the most complicated tours arranged for a pontiff in decades.
More than 20% of the world's Catholics live in Africa, according to Vatican statistics. The three sub-Saharan nations the pope is visiting have populations where more than half identify as Catholic.
Leo's tour is the 24th by a pope to Africa since the late 1960s.
He is expected to touch on many topics in 25 planned speeches over 10 days, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni told journalists on Friday, given that the four nations face diverse issues.
Likely topics include exploitation of natural resources, Catholic-Muslim dialogue, and dangers of political corruption, said Bruni.
Source: Reuters
Papa huyo wa kwanza kutoka Marekani anaanza ziara yake nchini Algeria kwa siku mbili, kabla ya kuelekea Cameroon, Angola na Equatorial Guinea katika safari ya haraka itakayomfikisha katika miji na maeneo 11 tofauti. Kwa jumla, atasafiri takriban kilomita 18,000 kupitia safari 18 za ndege.
Kwa mujibu wa Kadinali Michael Czerny, afisa mwandamizi wa Vatican na mshauri wa karibu wa Papa Leo, ziara hiyo inalenga “kuisaidia dunia kuelekeza macho yake zaidi Afrika.”
Tangu achaguliwe Mei 2025, Papa Leo—anayejulikana kwa ukosoaji wake wa wazi kuhusu vita ya Iran—amefanya ziara moja kubwa tu nje ya nchi, akitembelea Uturuki na Lebanon kati ya Novemba na Desemba, na pia alifika Monaco mwezi Machi.
Hii ni ziara ya 24 ya papa barani Afrika tangu mwishoni mwa miaka ya 1960.
Katika hotuba 25 alizopanga kutoa ndani ya siku 10, Papa Leo anatarajiwa kugusia masuala mbalimbali, kulingana na msemaji wa Vatican Matteo Bruni. Mada hizo zinajumuisha unyonyaji wa rasilimali asilia, mazungumzo kati ya Wakatoliki na Waislamu, pamoja na hatari za rushwa katika siasa.
===============
Pope Leo begins an ambitious 10-day tour of four countries in Africa on Monday urging global leaders to address needs on the continent where more than a fifth of the world's Catholics live.
The first U.S. pope heads to Algeria for two days before continuing to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea in a whirlwind tour to 11 cities and towns, traversing nearly 18,000 km (11,185 miles) over 18 flights. The pope is making the visit with a mission "to help turn the world's attention to Africa", Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official and close adviser to Leo, told Reuters.
The pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, has made only one big overseas trip since being elected last May, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in November and December. He visited Monaco in March.
Leo, aged 70, relatively young and in good health for a pope, is undertaking one of the most complicated tours arranged for a pontiff in decades.
More than 20% of the world's Catholics live in Africa, according to Vatican statistics. The three sub-Saharan nations the pope is visiting have populations where more than half identify as Catholic.
Leo's tour is the 24th by a pope to Africa since the late 1960s.
He is expected to touch on many topics in 25 planned speeches over 10 days, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni told journalists on Friday, given that the four nations face diverse issues.
Likely topics include exploitation of natural resources, Catholic-Muslim dialogue, and dangers of political corruption, said Bruni.
Source: Reuters
