Pope Francis begins his tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo on January 31 with a message of peace and reconciliation, a trip that is hoped to bring the much-needed balm to the conflict-scarred nation.

The Catholic Church in Kinshasa says the purpose of “the pastoral trip of Pope Francis to the Congo is to invite the Congolese men and women to intensify prayer to heal the wounds of all kinds in the manner of the Good Samaritan towards each other to face together the real perils of the country’s upheavals, the symptoms of which are visible today.”

When he touches down in Kinshasa, the head of the Roman Catholic Church will be making his 40th trip abroad since he ascended to the papacy. But DRC, the 59th country in his itinerary, is just as unique as the 60th, South Sudan. He will stay in Kinshasa until February 3 when he departs for the Juba tour with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

His trip to DR Congo is themed “All Reconciled in Jesus Christ” and he has spoken passionately about the importance of letting the Congolese decide their future, subtly lampooning foreign players for looting local resources while conflict rages.

Pope Francis’ initial trip to the two countries back in July 2022 was postponed due to a knee problem