- "Do not stop working". Pope Francis continues his journey in Africa
- The Pope in Africa visits Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius
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07 September 2019 "I encourage you to fight with strength and determination against all the endemic forms of corruption and speculation that increase social inequality". With these words Pope Francis inaugurated the visit Saturday in Madagascar. The second stage of the apostolic journey in three African countries under the equator began yesterday afternoon with the arrival in the capital of the African island, Antananarivo. "We must face the situations of great precariousness and exclusion that always generate conditions of inhuman poverty," says Pope Francis in the ceremony with the authorities, including the Malagasy president Andry Rajoelina.In his speech, the Pope asks for commitment to the integral development of all the inhabitants, without excluding anyone, in respect of the cultural heritage of the people, that an alleged "universal culture" despises and destroys. Hence the reference to economic globalization, "whose limits are increasingly evident and which should not lead to cultural homogenization. We will ensure that the help provided by the international community is not the only guarantee of the country's development. It will be the same people who will progressively take charge of themselves, becoming the architect of their own destiny ".
A great émotion d'accueillir Sa Sainteté @ Pontifex sur la terre de #Madagascar cet après-midi.
Beni soit-il, bénie soit notre patrie! 🇻🇦 🇲🇬 pic.twitter.com/hQ44J2W607
The press of Madagascar was surprised by the pope's humility, received yesterday by thousands of citizens who displayed posters with the words "Tonga soa", welcome. The discourse of Pope Francis continued on the local people: "We must support his initiatives and his actions, the voice of those who have no voice will be made more audible, as well as the various harmonies, even conflicting, of a national community that he seeks his own unity. I invite you to imagine this path in which no one is set aside, or goes alone or gets lost ". About half of the population (26 million inhabitants) of Madagascar is Christian, divided more or less in fair numbers between Catholics and Protestants. The country is ranked among the 10 poorest in the world, where chronic malnutrition affects one child in two. Tomorrow, for the Mass, between 900,000 and one million people are expected from the former French colony, which became independent in 1960.
I invite everyone to join in my prayer so that God, Father of all, may consolidate throughout Africa, fraternal reconciliation, the only hope for a solid and lasting peace. # Apostolic Journey #Mozambique #Madagascar #Maurizio
- Pope Francis (@Pontifex) September 4, 2019Before Madagascar, Wednesday afternoon Pope Francis had arrived in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. After meetings, visits and messages of closeness to the people of the African country, he had said during mass in front of 60 thousand faithful: "Mozambique is a blessed nation, and you - the authorities of the country - are invited to take care of this blessing". On 6 August, President of the Republic Filipe Nyusi put an end to tensions by signing an agreement with the opposition former guerrilla Renamo. Also in Mozambique therefore words not only of religion, but also inherent in politics and the economy.
On Monday, Pope Francis will finish his mission in southern Africa with the last stop in Port Louis, the capital of the Mauritius islands, a British colony until 1968 and a country already visited by Pope Woityla in 1989. The island has no official state religion and 28% of the population are Catholics. A series of political, pastoral and interreligious meetings are planned.