Pope Francis in South Sudan: Catholic Church plays key role in world’s youngest nation

Pope Francis regularly mentions the war in South Sudan. The Catholic Church is highly present in the country, whose independence only dates back to 2011, although just a third of the population is Catholic. The Catholic Church faces increasing competition from Protestant churches and traditional religions in South Sudan. Nevertheless, the visit of Pope Francis, which begins this Friday, February 3, highlights the key role of Catholicism in the world’s youngest nation. Our regional correspondents report.