Pope Francis to the Congolese: Your country is beautiful, Pray for your country.

Stanislas Kambashi, SJ - Vatican City.

“I greet the Congolese citizens who are present here. Your country is beautiful; it is beautiful! Pray for your country!” said Pope Francis Sunday after the Marian Angelus Prayer.

Thank you for visiting our country

Pope Francis was in Kinshasa from 31 January to 3 February 2023.

The Congolese community in Rome, who usually celebrate Sunday Mass at 11. 00 hours, anticipated their Eucharist to 09. 30 in order to allow more people attend the Angelus in Saint Peter Square. As a result of the initiative, many of the country’s faithful resident in Rome participated in the Angelus prayer.

To express their gratitude and make known their presence, they waved their country’s flag, and upon noticing them, Pope Francis had a special word for them. The Congolese nationals responded with joy when the Pope reminded them of the beauty of their country located in the heart of Africa.

Pope to DRC: You are infinitely precious

During his visit to the DRC, Pope Francis did not mince words in his speech to authorities, civil society and diplomats. He condemned the violent colonialist history of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the continued greedy exploitation of the African continent’s vast resources by Western powers, mining corporations and even some African nations. The Pope used the metaphor of a diamond to speak about the beauty of the DRC and its people.

“Dear women and men of the Congo, your country is truly a diamond of creation. At the same time, you are infinitely more precious than any treasure found in this fruitful soil!” Pope Francis told the Congolese in Kinshasa.