Vatican City, Apr 4, 2019 / 11:23 am
The Vatican will host a "spiritual retreat" for South Sudan's president and opposition leader as they navigate the peace process in the war torn country, a Vatican spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
Following a five-year civil war and a tenuous peace deal signed in September, the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar will meet in Rome April 10.
"It will be a spiritual moment and above all an invitation to realize the responsibility that political leaders and authorities have," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said April 3.
Parolin confirmed that Pope Francis will also be present and participate in the retreat.