Pope Francis has been asked to visit the African continent just as Pope John Paul II made a papal visit to Africa in in 1993.
The request was made by Zimbabwean elderly president Robert Mugabe during the Pope’s inauguration at Vatican on Tuesday (March 19).
“We also happy that our referendum has taken place more or less at the same time we have a new Pope. We who are Catholic have a new Father of Christ . . . We want to say congratulations to him. We hope he will take us all his children on the same basis, basis of equality, basis that we are all in the eyes of God equal,” said the President.
Mugabe went ahead to beg Pope Francis to visit Africa saying: “We would want him to visit Africa in the same way Pope John Paul did. We remember that memorable visit that he made and we wish the new Pope a long stay. And we know that as a man of God he will be praying for all of us, praying for the sinful world to repent.”
The inauguration Mass for Pope Francis Jorge Bergoglio was held in St Peter’s Square, Rome, marking the official start of his papacy. He takes over from Pope Emeritus Benedict XV1 who resigned last month.
Meanwhile Robert Mugabes’s trip to Rome was not be affected by the European Union travel ban because the Vatican is a state on its own.
The Vatican is a sovereign city-state that is not part of the European Union, although to attend the ceremony Mugabe had to transit through Rome.Mugabe was accompanied by his wife Grace Mugabe.
President Mugabe along with his wife Grace were seated as guests of honor at the VIP front row during the Pope’s inauguration ceremony and mass, reported the portal ZimEye.
After the mass, Mugabe and his wife were seen shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with Pope Francis.
The new Pope, 76 year old Argentine was elected the 266th leader of the Catholic Church last Wednesday, March 13, 2013.
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