Vatican Archives - Jean-Jacques Cornish

Pope gets stuck in lift

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 22:00:00 +0000

Pope France, preparing for his three-nation African safari starting midweek, was late for his traditional address to the crowds on St Peter’s Square yesterday.

He’s been stuck in a lift in the Vatican for 25 minutes and had to be recused by firefighters.

From his balcony overlooking the throng on St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis apologized for being late for his customary Sunday meeting with the masses.

He explained he had been stuck in a lift which he has had been caused by a drop in tension of the the electricity.

The pontiff asked the faithful to applaud the firemen who had rescued him.

In his address he said the world was undergoing a climate emergency and urged governments to take drastic measures to stop global warming.

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Renamo signs another peace deal with Mozambique’s Frelimo government

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 22:00:00 +0000

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the signing of a peace accord in Mozambique paves the way for free elections in South Africa’s eastern neighbour in November.

President Felipe Nyusi and Renamo’s Ossufo Momade inked the deal in Maputo yesterday.

This is the second time Renamo has formalized a peace deal with Mozambique’s Frelimo Government.

The late Afonso Dhlakama signed the first in Rome 26 years ago after the Vatican mediated an end to the 16-year civil war that brought the country to its knees.

Losing successive elections drove Renamo to take up weapons and go back into the bush.

Yesterday’s peace follows the death last year of Dhlakama.

Guests at yesterday’s signing, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, heard that Renamo plans to do better in October’s election.

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Boko Haram captives released in Cameroon

Jean-Jacques Cornish — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 22:00:00 +0000

Two Italian priests and a Canadian nun seized by Boko Haram gunmen in Cameroon two months ago have been flown back to the capital, Yaounde.

Their kidnapping, on April 5 follows Boko Haram’s abduction in Cameroon last year of a priest and seven members of a French family.

The Italian foreign ministry confirms the release of Italian priests Gianantonio Allegri and Giampaolo Marta and Canadian nun Gilberte Bussier

It hasn’t given detailed of how they were freed.

But it thanks the Canadian and Cameroon authorities.

In addition to their religious tasks, the priests were improving water supplies and fighting the spread of HIV Aids.

Cameroon’s despatched 1 000 troops to its border with Nigeria to fight the growing threat from Boko Haram.

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