Pope Francis urges religious unity in his first Mass in Africa

Photo: Reuters

 

Pope Francis celebrated a historic Mass in Kenya on Thursday, a day declared a national public holiday as throngs of jubilant Catholics flocked to the capital, the CNN reports.

The Pope drove past the crowd in his popemobile, waving to thousands who started lining the streets at dawn to catch a glimpse of him.

When he got to the University of Nairobi, the site of his first Mass in Africa, choirs and traditional dancers swayed to Swahili Christian music as they waited.

Music mixed with the sound of rain wafted across the field as crowds peeked under multicolored umbrellas.

“I wish I was at that Mass now,” said Jane Waceke, who was watching the Pope on television in the town of Nakuru.

“He’s just what we needed, someone to lift Kenyans’ spirits after the terrorist attacks we’ve had. I have a sense of peace and calm just watching him.”

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Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS