Pope News: Pope brings message of peace to Central African Republic

Pope brings message of peace to Central African Republic

Bangui, Central African Republic - standing alongside the Vatican guards in flak jackets and carrying automatic weapons-peacekeeping troops of the United Nations, Pope Francis Sunday fell in the Central African Republic in conflict Christianity and urged the country's Islamic factions to lay down their arms and instead of arming themselves with peace and forgiveness.Francis appeal from the altar of the Cathedral of Bangui issued after his arrival in the capital is divided in a bad way in the last stage of his tour of three African countries.
 

         Joined the school dressed in yellow and white flag of the Holy See and women wearing traditional African fabric dresses emblazoned with the face of Pope government authorities and the church to welcome Francis in Bangui amid tight security Airport.Cheering crowds lined his motorcade route - about five kilometers (three miles) of that in his open-sided popemobile. Crowds swell again in a displaced persons camp, where she sang a song welcoming the children and held a hand-made banners saying "peace", "love" and "unity.""My wish for you, and each of the Central African Republic, is peace," Francis said nearly 4,000 residents of the camp at St. Saviour Church. With the help of an interpreter Sangu, then led them in a chant: "We are all brothers and we are all brothers.""Because we are brothers, we want peace."The visit on Sunday, a rare moment of jubilation in the Central African Republic, where the ousted Muslim insurgents Christian president in early 2013, declaring in a brutal era that led to the quick reaction and the horrific against Muslim civilians when he left power rebel leader the following year.During the first months of 2014, mobs attacked Muslims in the streets, and even beheading and ripping them and put their bodies on fire. Tens of thousands of Muslim civilians fleeing for their lives to neighboring Chad and Cameroon. Today, the capital, which was once 122,000 Muslims has only about 15,000, according to the organization Human Rights Watch.


         Overall, 1000000 people were forced in a country of 4.8 million from their homes.While ecstatic crowds celebrated the Pope's visit and message of reconciliation, and thousands of Muslims remained essentially trapped in their neighborhood of PK5, unable to leave for fighters armed Christian militia called the Anti-Balaka who surround surroundings.Francis plans to enter this highly volatile neighborhood on Monday morning to meet with the local imam and Muslims in the mosque before returning to Rome.In his inaugural Mass on Sunday evening, the faithful Francis said that the main task which is to love their enemies and be brave in the tolerant and to overcome hatred and violence, oppression and injustice.He said to applause ;: "Arm yourselves instead with justice, love, compassion and real guarantees of peace, put down your weapons of death for all those who use weapons of injustice in this world, I appeal to."And the unstable security in Bangui, which is mired in arms, has raised the prospect in recent weeks that the Pope may cancel his visit, or at least cut back. While sectarian clashes at least 100 people, left over the past two months, in the last days of Bangui was relatively free of fire.Francis welcome at the presidential palace, President Catherine Samba-Panza thanked him for "a lesson in courage" in the coming simply, saying, showed its presence in the "triumph of faith over fear."In reference to the call Francis for personal soul-searching, and it offered a public confession."In the name of the entire ruling class in this country, as well as on behalf of all those who have contributed in some way to getting off to hell, and I admit all the evil that has been done here over the history and ask forgiveness from the bottom of my heart," she said.In response, Francis told her he was here as a "pilgrim of peace, the Messenger of Hope", and he hoped the elections scheduled for next month, which will enable the country torn by conflict to "quietly start a new phase of its history.But the security situation remains tense and fragile: the Archbishop of Bangui to travel to the Muslim enclave in the city under the guard of armed peacekeepers. Bangui has long period under night curfew from 08:00 as battles rang out after dark in flashpoint neighborhoods.In addition to the joy and the arrival of Francis it was that the curfew was extended to 22:00 to accommodate prayer vigil Sunday night Francis celebrated in the cathedral.Security, however, was a narrow concept.Helicopter flying in the sky of the United Nations at the airport armed peacekeepers stood on foot about 20 feet (six meters) except for lining the road to the capital before the arrival of the Pope. Vatican gendarmes already on the ground when Francis vests arrived lead wore - an unusual occurrence if not unprecedented.In a camp for displaced people of St. Savior Church, where he visited Francis, stood dozens of UN peacekeepers guard and practiced by the security forces to detect portable metal - a rare event in this country chaos to a large extent."It is a great joy, and we are very touched that he is coming to visit," said Merline Bamboo, 24, as she left Mass Sunday wearing a two-piece face Francis on that dress. "For two years we were crying. We hope that the visit by the Pope things are changing for the better."Francis stressed the need for a message of forgiveness and compassion by listening to the confessions of several young Catholics in the Sunday evening vigil.Mass began with the opening ceremony of the holy door of the cathedral - officially launch his Jubilee Year of mercy week in an attempt to give a boost to Africa's spiritual special early.Said Brigitte Kanga 0.50 among the thousands gathered in the garden outside the cathedral for Mass on Sunday it personally ready to forgive but do not know all those who suffered under the regime of Muslim rebels are willing to do the same thing."Nothing is impossible, but it will take time."He said that the Muslim community, as well, and hopes that the visit would improve the bleak state they live in Imam Omar Kobine Layama, presidennt Islamic Group Central African Muslims in the country are demanding the Pope to pray for all of them."To achieve reconciliation between our hearts and the hearts of all the people of Central Africa, and the door - open the door to have - because we do not have a voice now, and we really are living in a precarious state does not have a name."In an amazing scene outside the cathedral before the arrival of Frances, a Muslim and a single wearing a white robe and traditional Muslim cap touted a banner reading "One God. One Earth the same ancestor.."Edom admitted Silick, 45-year-old, the risk of venturing on the basis of the cathedral, but said "sometimes we have to be brave.""Life is very difficult for Muslims who remain," he said. "I take advantage of all the security coming here."But in a camp for displaced people in Bangui airport, where they lived thousands for nearly two years, there is a sense that things are worse now has been since December 2013. Sandrine Sanze and her family are now again for the second time after the recent clashes, after spending nine months in the beginning at the airport camp."It is our prayer that with the Pope's visit, which will return peace, we can go home and life can begin again," she said as she sat on the ground outside her home of scrap metal, which she and her husband pushed to the site."We are Christians and Muslims have lived together for many years and then rips it apart," said George Pokama (62 years), while he was sitting in the shade of a roadside shop in Bangui with his radio phones in hand wearing a hat and said, "The United States peace for." Pope is an intermediary large and we must listen to his message. "