Pope in Africa: 150,000 youths attend rally in Kampala
World
Pope in Africa: 150,000 youths attend rally in Kampala
Pope Francis arrived at a massive gathering of Ugandan youths for a pep rally before heading to the Central African Republic on Sunday on the final leg of his African pilgrimage. For hours, thousands of people were treated to a blend of tribal dancing and African rock at a disused Kampala airstrip. Francis heard testimony from two Ugandan youths about the challenges they are facing before speaking to the crowd himself.
I’m excited, it’s my first time to see a pope. When Pope John Paul II visited in 1993, I was just about to be born.
Jonathon Ssali, vendor
Earlier on Saturday, vast crowds of Ugandans greeted Pope Francis as he honoured Christians martyred for the faith on his landmark trip to Africa, which he dubbed “the continent of hope”. The 78-year-old pontiff received a rapturous welcome as he arrived at a shrine to the martyrs at Namugongo, just outside the capital Kampala, where some 45 Christians were executed in 1886 for refusing to recant their faith. Over 100,000 people had waited from before dawn to attend the mass, a key highlight of his visit to Uganda. Francis, who railed against corruption and wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor during his three days in Kenya, struck a more optimistic tone in Uganda since arriving in the neighbouring east African nation late Friday.
