KENYA WELCOMES POPE FRANCIS ON HISTORIC AFRICAN VISIT TODAY

The Holy Father, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. His flight arrived at about 4:30pm local time.

He is the first Pope from the Americas and he is making his first apostolic visit to Africa, now seen as a very fertile land with the church growing ever increasingly.

POPE FRANCIS ARRIVES KENYA

WELCOME POPE FRANCIS

WELCOME POPE FRANCIS

WELCOME POPE FRANCIS BANNERS

Pope Francis was received by his host, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is catholic. There were also religious leaders and crowds of people in a festive mood as they turned out to welcome him. The Pope was thereafter driven in a Honda sedan to the State House for an official welcome. He had earlier on signed a visitor's book and had a private meeting with President Kenyatta.

Pope Francis would meet with the civil authorities and the diplomatic corps to close the day.

The Pope would tomorrow have an inter religious and ecumenical meeting at the Apostolic Nunaciature in Nairobi, a mass at the University of Nairobi. This would be followed by a meeting with the clergy, religious men and women and seminarians before going to the United Nations office in Nairobi.

He is also billed to visit the poor, young people and meet with the Kenyan Bishops.

There will be a farewell ceremony which will take place on Friday at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport before his departure.

He is billed to travel to Uganda and the Central African Republic before returning to the Vatican.