Many African Catholics will get a chance to glimpse Pope Francis on home soil when the pontiff visits the continent in November, a statement from the Vatican has confirmed.
The 5-day visit will take the pope to Kenya from November 25 to 27; Uganda from 27 to 29; and Central African Republic, where the trip will come to a close on November 30.
Francis will, in Uganda, commemorate the canonization of 22 young people who were killed in 1878 on the orders of a local ruler who was angered by their refusal to renounce Christianity. The young men were canonized in 1964 by Pope Paul VI.
!n 2005, 135 million of the 809 million people in Africa were Catholics. In 2009, when Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa, it was estimated at 158 million. By 2025, one-sixth (230 million) of the world’s Catholics are expected to be African.
There are concerns for the safety of the pope however, since the three countries have experienced civil conflicts in recent times.