“We need to be prepared as the people of South Sudan because this is something we have been waiting for long,” Bishop Hiiboro said. 

The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop added, “South Sudanese are ready to welcome the Holy Father with the little they can afford though the preparation may not be visible to the level that other countries might do to welcome the Pope.”

He went on to thank those who are contributing towards the success of the ecumenical visit, saying, “We are so grateful to the government, friends, and partners as well as Christians and the Holy See for putting whatever they have at our disposal for this preparation.”

“Their support for this important event is very vital because it would not be possible without their contribution,” the Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of CDTY since his Episcopal Ordination in June 2008 said.

He implored, “May God help those who are supporting us with prayers to make sure the Church gets whatever they have to support the event.”

“We will continue to pray that God helps our Christian communities to support us with the preparation for the reception of these great men of God,” Bishop Hiiboro said. 

He called upon South Sudanese to “get their houses in order by having reconciliation and peace which will clean their hearts from whatever they are doing to themselves.”

“Wherever we work we should keep them clean because something good is soon happening in our country,” the South Sudanese Bishop said.

Pope Francis is set to realize his previously postponed trip to two African countries from January 31, according to the program and itinerary that the officials of the Holy See Press office unveiled last month. 

The 1 December 2022 Vatican statement provided details of the “Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Francis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and in South Sudan (Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace in South Sudan) from 31 January to 5 February 2023.