With the civil war worsening and famine spreading, Pope Francis already in March had expressed doubts about the possibility of making the trip.

Killing Others provides an erudite yet accessible introduction to the origins and causes of ethnic violence.

What should one make of this chaotic month? Is the presidency of Jacob Zuma reaching an endgame?

The Congolese bishops voiced their concern over rising tension in Congo after President Joseph Kabila unilaterally nominated Bruno Tshibala as prime minister over the objection of opposition parties.

Last June, fighting broke out between soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army and a mixture of local opposition groups and members of other ethnic communities.

"I hope that this visit will be an embrace of consolation and of encouragement to all Christians in the Middle East," the pope said.