Pope Francis has brought a message of unity to Colombia and the hope he can build bridges between its people during his five-day visit.
After a five-decade war between the nation’s government and rebel guerilla forces, the country has been divided by a peace deal with Marxist FARC rebels. (The FARC are the Revlutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
Many victims of the bloodshed are wary of the healing process the peace deal offers and are critical of it for treating the FARC too kindly.
Francis is expected to give the agreement a strong push, however.
Organisers have given this trip the theme “Let’s take the first step”. The official image for the visit shows the pope walking forward in a symbol of the path ahead for peace.
Francis says he thinks this trip is “a bit special because it is being made to help Colombia go forward on its path to peace.”
His visit is being received with joy by well-wishers. When he arrived at Bogota airport, they flooded the road taking that would take him 15 kilometers to the Vatican representative’s residence.
Francis will be in Colombia from Wednesday until this Sunday. Although he will spend each night in Bogota (the Colombian capital) he will travel each day to different cities.
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