Pope Francis in DR Congo: A million celebrate Kinshasa Mass

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Pope Francis and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi attend a welcome ceremony at the Palais de la Nation in Kinshasa, Congo, Jan. 31, 2023. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

By BBC

Pope Francis and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi attend a welcome ceremony at the Palais de la Nation in Kinshasa, Congo, Jan. 31, 2023. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Pope Francis has celebrated one of his biggest Masses, with around a million attendees in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, estimates say.

Huge crowds started to gather in Kinshasa well before dawn, including scores of schoolgirls dressed in white who danced along the Pope’s route.

A public holiday was declared, so as many people as possible could attend.

Around half of DR Congo’s population is Catholic – the largest Catholic community in Africa.

It is more than 37 years since a pope had visited the mineral-rich but conflict-ridden country.