Pope arrives in Colombia
- 7 years ago
Pope Francis has begun a five-day mission to Colombia the first by a pope for 31 years.
He was met by President Juan Manual Santos and his wife along with a welcome from dozens of children and dancers.
Francis hopes his presence will help build bridges in a country torn apart by bitter feuding over a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – known as FARC.
The deal has ended five decades of war which killed thousands and displaced millions. But many Colombians are furious that FARC fighters have been granted amnesty and some will be rewarded with seats in congress.
Francis has said he wants to encourage reconciliation as Colombia goes forward on it path to peace.
The Pope’s hopes for peace for Colombia were bolstered this week with the signing of a new cease-fire with a holdout rebel group.
Pope Francis outside the Vatican embassy in Bogota #PapaEnColombia pic.twitter.com/bfZ8DoXo5O— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) September 6, 2017
He was met by President Juan Manual Santos and his wife along with a welcome from dozens of children and dancers.
Francis hopes his presence will help build bridges in a country torn apart by bitter feuding over a peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – known as FARC.
The deal has ended five decades of war which killed thousands and displaced millions. But many Colombians are furious that FARC fighters have been granted amnesty and some will be rewarded with seats in congress.
Francis has said he wants to encourage reconciliation as Colombia goes forward on it path to peace.
The Pope’s hopes for peace for Colombia were bolstered this week with the signing of a new cease-fire with a holdout rebel group.
Pope Francis outside the Vatican embassy in Bogota #PapaEnColombia pic.twitter.com/bfZ8DoXo5O— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) September 6, 2017