Pope meets delegation from Mozambique’s Xai-Xai diocese

By Vatican News

Before meeting with Mozambique’s clergy and religious on Wednesday afternoon, Pope Francis greeted a delegation from the Diocese of Xai-Xai.

The Mozambican diocese is twinned with the Argentinian Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, which he led before being elected to the papacy.

The Xai-Xai Diocese delegation was led by Bishop Lucio Andrice Muandula and the bishop emeritus, Cardinal Julio Duarte Langa.

Mutual aid and prayer

Pope Francis recalled the relationship between the two dioceses and how their exchange strengthens priests, religious, and seminarians in their mission, by opening them up to an apostolic prospective.

The Pope also underlined the importance of them praying for one another, and the value of children and of the elderly.

“Children and the elderly are a society’s treasure, and how we care for them is the true measure of its greatness,” he said.

Devastating floods in 2000

The Xai-Xai region was struck by catastrophic flooding in the year 2000. Stranded and without food and clean water, hundreds of people died, and over 100,000 families lost their livelihoods.

The Xai-Xai region has since managed to rebuild and develop to become one of Mozambique’s most flourishing regions.