Five days before Pope Francis's arrival in South Sudan, the recent statements by the head of the Church on homosexuality are causing a stir in this East African country.
"If he comes to tell us that same-sex marriages and homosexuality are allowed, we will say no," South Sudan's Minister of Information, Michael Makuei Lueth, declared this weekend, as quoted by the local radio station Radio Tamazuj.
He also emphasized that he did not expect the subject to be on the agenda of the "historic" visit.
In his latest interview, Pope Francis spoke out against the criminalization of homosexuality, stating it is "neither good nor just." In a handwritten letter dated Friday and addressed to the American Jesuit James Martin, Francis explained his statements and clarified the circumstances of the interview. In his letter, the head of the Church wrote:
"And I would say to anyone who wants to criminalize homosexuality that they are wrong."
According to him, God made "no mistake" in creating man and woman.
In several African countries, questions of morality and sexual identity are politically charged subjects. Of the 69 countries in the world that criminalize homosexuality, approximately half are on the continent.
"Our constitution is very clear and states that marriage between persons of the opposite sex takes place and that same-sex marriages are a crime, a fundamental offense," Makuei told journalists in Juba.
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On Friday, Pope Francis will travel to the former civil war-torn country with the honorary head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, Archbishop Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields.
Meetings with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Vice President Riek Machar are scheduled for Friday. Prior to that, Francis will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This article was originally published by Katolisch (Article Link).