Pope Francis ventured into a volatile Muslim neighborhood of Central African Republic’s capital on Monday to bring his message of reconciliation to the city’s main mosque, insisting that Christians and Muslims have long lived peacefully together here and that religion can never justify violence.
Under heavy security, Francis crossed into the PK5 neighborhood where Bangui’s Muslims have been unable to leave for months because of the armed Christian militia fighters who surround its perimeter. The pope traveled in his open-air vehicle through the neighborhood despite the security risks though armed U.N. peacekeepers stood guard in the minarets of the mosque.
The pope’s visit immediately ushered in a greater sense of freedom to the beleaguered area. In what had been a no-man’s land separating the Muslim enclave from the rest of the city only the day before, thousands crossed over into the area chanting “war is over” in the local Sango language after the pope’s departure.
Francis had insisted on coming to the PK5 neighborhood to appeal for peace in a country where two years of Christian-Muslim violence has divided the capital and forced nearly 1 million people to flee their homes. The once vibrant markets of PK5 have now been largely shuttered and many of the Muslim-owned businesses stand in ruins.
About 200 men seated inside the mosque welcomed Francis, who sat on a sofa. In comments to the chief imam, Francis insisted that Muslims and Christians are brothers and must behave as such.