State visit by Pope Francis to Kenya
Pope Francis visited Kenya from 25 to 27 November 2015.[1] It was his first state and pastoral visit to the country and the continent of Africa at large.[2] Francis is the second pontiff to visit Kenya after John Paul II who visited Kenya 3 times.[3] In his visit, he met the president of the Republic of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, held meetings with various members of the clergy, held an open mass at the University of Nairobi and visited a poor slum neighbourhood of Kangemi.[1] As a result of his visit, most of the roads in Nairobi were closed on Thursday and parts of Friday
Schedule
The Pope's 3 day schedule as published on the Vatican website at w2.vatican.va
Wednesday, 25 November 2015
The Pope arrived at JKIA at 1335 GMT.[4]
| Time | Activity | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1700 | Arrival and Welcoming ceremony at the State House | State House Nairobi |
| 1800 | Courtesy visit to the President of the Republic | State House Nairobi |
| 1830 | Meeting with the Public Authorities of Kenya and the Diplomatic Corps |
Thursday, 26 November 2015
Thursday was declared a public holiday by the President Uhuru Kenyatta[5]
| Time | Activity | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 0815 | Interreligious and ecumenical meeting | Hall of the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi |
| 1000 | Holy Mass | University of Nairobi Main Campus Grounds |
| 1545 | Meeting with the Clergy, Men and Women Religious and Seminarians | St Mary’s School |
| 1730 | Visit to the U.N.O.N. (United Nations Office at Nairobi) | UNON Complex, Gigiri |
Friday, 27 November 2015
| Time | Activity | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 0830 | Visit to Kangemi | Kangemi Slum. There was a miracle of healing in Kenya, reported in The Catholic Mirror. Rosemary Nundu, who was on crutches for years, presented the Pope with the Rosary of the Unborn, fell to the ground and woke up healed, she no longer needs crutches. More about the Rosary of the Unborn, the new sacramental for our world today, go to www.rosaryoftheunborn.eu |
| 1000 | Meeting with youth | Kasarani Stadium |
| 1115 | Meeting with the Bishops of Kenya | VIP Lounge at Kasarani Stadium |
| 1510 | Farewell ceremony | JKIA |
| 1530 | Departure to Entebbe | JKIA |
Security
A total of 10,000[6] police officers were deployed to secure the Pope's visit.
Closed roads
In a televised press release, Inspector General of Police, Joseph Boinnet informed the public about road closures during the visit.[7]
References
- APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO KENYA, UGANDA AND THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- Pope to visit Africa Nov. 25-30; including Central African Republic
- List of pastoral visits of Pope John Paul II outside Italy
- Breaking News: Pope Francis arrives in Kenya
- businessdailyafrica.com:Kenya declares Thursday public holiday for papal Mas
- Kenya Readies 10,000 Police to Boost Security for Pope Francis
- No public holiday in Kenya during Pope Francis’s
