Pope Francis will begin a six-day tour of three African countries on Wednesday‚ Vatican Radio announced on Tuesday.
The Pope is due to land in Nairobi‚ Kenya early evening on Wednesday‚ before travelling to Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Kenyans are eagerly awaiting the Pope on his first visit to the continent.
On Friday he will visit the Kangemi informal settlement‚ which houses 650000 people in the midst of Nairobi’s business hub.
On Monday the Pope sent video messages to Uganda and Kenya‚ saying: “As I prepare to visit Kenya and Uganda later this month‚ I send a word of greeting and friendship to you and your families. I look forward to this time we will have together.
“I wish to encounter all the people of Kenya and Uganda‚ and to offer everyone a word of encouragement. We are living at a time when religious believers‚ and persons of good will everywhere‚ are called to foster mutual understanding and respect‚ and to support each other as members of our one human family.”
The first Pope to visit Kenya was St John Paul II‚ which he did three times: in 1980‚ 1985 and 1995.
Of Kenya’s 44 million inhabitants‚ 14.5 million are Catholic.
The Pope will fly to Entebbe in Uganda on Friday afternoon.
On Sunday the Pope will depart Entebbe for Bangui in the Central African Republic.
There have been fears that he will not be safe in the former French colony‚ especially after the recent attacks in Paris.
The Pope is scheduled to meet with members of the Muslim community in CAR.
Pope Francis to begin three-nation African tour
Pope Francis will begin a six-day tour of three African countries on Wednesday‚ Vatican Radio announced on Tuesday.
The Pope is due to land in Nairobi‚ Kenya early evening on Wednesday‚ before travelling to Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Kenyans are eagerly awaiting the Pope on his first visit to the continent.
On Friday he will visit the Kangemi informal settlement‚ which houses 650000 people in the midst of Nairobi’s business hub.
On Monday the Pope sent video messages to Uganda and Kenya‚ saying: “As I prepare to visit Kenya and Uganda later this month‚ I send a word of greeting and friendship to you and your families. I look forward to this time we will have together.
“I wish to encounter all the people of Kenya and Uganda‚ and to offer everyone a word of encouragement. We are living at a time when religious believers‚ and persons of good will everywhere‚ are called to foster mutual understanding and respect‚ and to support each other as members of our one human family.”
The first Pope to visit Kenya was St John Paul II‚ which he did three times: in 1980‚ 1985 and 1995.
Of Kenya’s 44 million inhabitants‚ 14.5 million are Catholic.
The Pope will fly to Entebbe in Uganda on Friday afternoon.
On Sunday the Pope will depart Entebbe for Bangui in the Central African Republic.
There have been fears that he will not be safe in the former French colony‚ especially after the recent attacks in Paris.
The Pope is scheduled to meet with members of the Muslim community in CAR.
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