Uganda To Welcome Third Pope

Uganda is preparing for its third papal visit on Friday - making it the only African country to ever welcome three different pontiffs.



Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda Kivejinja described Pope Francis's forthcoming arrival as "a very important visit and for us, a very unique one. You don't get a Pope visiting your country, let alone for the third time."



He told Anadolu Agency: "We thank God we have martyrs and we have attracted a Holy See visit, this being the third. I have no doubt that in the future there will be other visits."



Pope Paul VI previously visited Uganda in 1969 in the first papal visit to Africa. Nearly a quarter of a century later, Pope John Paul II visited in 1993.



The only other African countries to have been visited by at least two reigning popes are Cameroon, Angola and Benin.



The Pope is to spend three days in Uganda and Kivejinja called on Ugandans to come out in large numbers to welcome him at Kololo Airport and a shrine at Namugongo, where the Pope will hold Mass.



Bishop Joseph Franzelli, chairman of Uganda's bishops' conference media committee, added: "We thank God for the opportunity he has given us as a country to host his holiness Pope Francis, the third holy pontiff to visit. This indeed is a blessing."



He said the Pope would celebrate the golden jubilee of the canonization of Uganda's 22 Catholic martyrs, who were executed in the late 19th century.



The Pope wished to "give everyone a word of encouragement" during his visit, Franzelli said.



Among the papal party's demands for the visit was the use of a small, low-cost car. "We are providing a very brand new small car. It is in place for him," Kivejinja said.



Around 43 percent of Uganda's 34 million people are Roman Catholic.



On Friday, Francis will be received by President Yoweri Museveni and his wife and other 45 dignitaries at the State House in Entebbe. He leaves for the Central African Republic on Sunday. - Uganda