Pope Francis wraps up Africa trip

Sunday’s visit was a rare moment of jubilation in Central African Republic, where Muslim rebels overthrew the Christian president in early 2013, ushering in a brutal reign that led to a swift and horrific backlash against Muslim civilians when the rebel leader left power the following year.

Pope Francis opens the holy door of the Bangui cathedral, Central African Republic, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015.

The landlocked Central African Republic descended into bloodshed after longtime Christian leader Francois Bozize was ousted by rebels from the mainly Muslim Seleka force in March 2013.

He praised the CAR’s natural and cultural richness, and prayed that the people Central Africa as well as its leaders and partners, would “always appreciate the value of these gifts by working ceaselessly for unity, human dignity and a peace based on justice”.

The country’s interim president Catherine Samba-Panza asked the pope for “forgiveness from the bottom of my heart” for two years of “evil” sectarian violence she dubbed “a descent into hell”. “And it’s perhaps in this dimension that the Central Africans can find the energy, the inspiration so that the country can find the will to reconcile with itself, and that it can plan a future in which all the Central African children can live in unity”. They have been opposed by a largely Christian militia known as the anti-Balaka.

This is the third and last leg of his trip after visiting Uganda and Kenya. “It is a good sign of a reconciliation between Muslims and Central Africans”, said El Adji Tchakpabrede, a representative of the country’s Islamic community. “We’re very happy about his visit”, he said.

Despite the security, thousands of people had lined the dirt roads from the airport, their presence rows deep in places. At least 13 people died, including a United Nations peace-keeper, and hundreds were injured this month in the latest clashes in Bangui, Bambari and Batangafo, including attacks on IDP sites.

Knowing that religious freedom is not always guaranteed in the Central African Republic, where violence often breaks along Christian/Muslim lines, Francis also called on local authorities to “work tirelessly to ensure that the Church enjoys favorable conditions for the fulfillment of her spiritual missions”.

The chief imam at the mosque, Tidiani Moussa Naibi, thanked Francis for his visit, which he said was “a symbol which we all understand”.

Thousands of believers, many from neighbouring countries, are expected to pour into CAR’s capital Bangui to see the 78-year-old pontiff, and workers have been busily repairing potholes and sprucing up the cathedral square for the visit.

The violence has forced most of the capital’s 122,000 Muslims to flee for their lives, with only 15,000 now remaining. Later he will celebrate Mass at a stadium before departing the country.

The UN, which has about 12,000 peacekeeping troops in the country alongside a small contingent of French soldiers, sought to reassure the Vatican about the pope’s safety.

Francis said his visit to vehicle “would not be complete if it did not include this encounter with the Muslim community”, saying all those who believed in God “must be men and women of peace”.