Thousands line Kinshasa streets to welcome Pope Francis
Kinshasa, Jan 31 (EFE).- Hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to the streets of Kinshasa to welcome Pope Francis after he arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday for the start of a six-day trip to Africa.
Francis landed at the N’djili airport before heading to the Palace of the Nation to meet the country’s president Felix Tshisekedi and deliver his first speech.
People lined the streets and climbed buildings and bridges to be able to get a glimpse of the pontiff.
Francis, 86, was received with songs, dances and welcoming banners in all languages in the country, of which half the population of 90 million are Catholics.
The trip, initially planned for July 2022, was postponed due to Francis’ knee problems.
About a million people are expected to attend Francis’ mass that is scheduled for Wednesday.
On Friday, he will travel to South Sudan, where he will stay until Sunday. EFE
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