DR Congo Catholic faithful hope for an African Pope: Video
As the Democratic Republic of Congo joins the global Catholic community in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, many faithful in Kinshasa are expressing a hopeful desire that the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church could be African.
At Kinshasa Cathedral, where crowds gathered to watch the televised funeral, prayers were accompanied by aspirations for a new era of representation at the Holy See.
Among those voicing this hope was Jeremie Kamundele, a local resident, who emphasised the need for a pope capable of "embodying certain authentic values of the Roman Catholic Church."
Kamundele told the AFP, "We hope that the next pope, God willing, will be an African pope, to preserve and embody certain authentic values of the Roman Catholic Church." He also reflected warmly on Pope Francis, calling him "a pope of the poor" and praising his efforts to promote peace, particularly his calls during a visit two years ago for greater African autonomy.
Marie Salima, another faithful attending the funeral broadcast, shared that, "first of all, I'd like to offer my condolences to the whole Church and especially to our archdiocese of Kinshasa," she said.
Adding, "But with regard to the selection of the new pope, I'd like it to be an African pope this time, why not, because we'd also like to be represented at the Holy See." For Salima and many others, the dream of an African pope represents a broader desire for acknowledgement and leadership on the global religious stage.
However, some voices urged a more universal perspective. Noella Ntungi, another Kinshasa resident, stressed that the selection of a pope should transcend racial considerations. "I think that first of all, it's not a question of race," she said. "It will please us as Africans, but above all, it should be about who is best suited to lead the Church."
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at age 88.
