Francis begins peace pilgrimage to 3 African countries
ROME (AP) - Pope Francis has begun a pilgrimage to three African nations.
The Alitalia jetliner with the pope and his entourage aboard departed at about 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) Wednesday from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, bound for the first stop in Kenya.
Francis is also scheduled to visit Uganda and Central African Republic before he is due back in Rome on Nov. 30.
Francis has described himself as a messenger of peace to a continent scarred by conflicts and extremist attacks, including against a growing Christian flock there.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.