Pope Francis this morning visited a mosque at the Central African Republic, the last country he will be visiting in Africa. Pope Francis met with Muslim leaders and Muslim faithfuls at the central Koudoukou mosque in the PK5 district, the last Muslim enclave in Bangui. He rode his motorcade with some Muslim leaders as he made his way to the mosque.
“Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters. Together, we must say no to hatred, to revenge and to violence, particularly that violence which is perpetrated in the name of a religion or of God himself,” he said to his mostly-Muslim audience who were sitting on the floor, listening quietly.
The chief imam at the mosque, Tidiani Moussa Naibi, thanked pope Francis for his visit, which he said was “a symbol which we all understand”.
Some Muslims who were living in the mosque after being forced out of their homes by the violence. “We are very proud to welcome
him. The pope is not only for the Christians, he is a servant of God for all Central Africans,” said Ibrahim Paulin, a spokesman for the displaced.
Armed UN peacekeepers were positioned on the mosque’s minarets and a helicopter hovered overhead. At the edge of the district, armed Muslim rebels stood in front of wooden barricades, watching for any threat from Christian vigilante groups.
The visit came towards the end of the pope’s six-day Africa tour, which included visits to Kenya and Uganda. After celebrating mass in a sports stadium, Pope Francis departed for Rome.
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