Pope Francis holds historic Mass in Kenya
Tens of thousands attend
Tells clergy the Church is 'not a business'
Says world needs 'prophets of peace'
Warns failure at climate change summit will be catastrophic
Email stories and comments to africalive@bbc.co.uk - Thursday 26 November 2015
With Pope Francis visiting Africa for the first time as pontiff, BBC Africa looks at the importance of Catholicism on the continent - in 60 seconds
While the Catholic community is dwindling in some parts of the world, it is growing in Africa, with nearly 200 million devotees:
Catholic Africa - in 60 seconds
The Pope has expressed concern about the effects of urbanisation:
Quote MessageTogether with neglect of the environment, we have witnessed for some time now a rapid process of urbanization, which in many cases has unfortunately led to a disproportionate and unruly growth of many cities which have become unhealthy to live in and inefficient.
Quote MessageThere we increasingly see the troubling symptoms of a social breakdown which spawns increased violence and a rise in new forms of social aggression, drug trafficking, growing drug use by young people, loss of identity, a lack of rootedness and social anonymity.
The Pope is still speaking:
Quote MessageWe need to be alert to one sad sign of the globalization of indifference - the fact that we are gradually growing accustomed to the suffering of others, as if it were something normal, or even worse, becoming resigned to such extreme and scandalous kinds of using and discarding and social exclusion as new forms of slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, prostitution and trafficking in organs.
Quote Message“There has been a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty aggravated by environmental degradation. They are not recognized by international conventions as refugees; they bear the loss of the lives they have left behind without enjoying any legal protection whatsoever.
Quote MessageMany lives, many stories, many dreams have been shipwrecked in our day. We cannot remain indifferent in the face of this. We have no right.
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Here are more quotes from Pope Francis' speech on climate change:
Quote MessageNothing will happen unless political and technical solutions are accompanied by a process of education which proposes new ways of living - a new culture.
Quote MessageThis calls for an educational process which fosters in boys and girls, women and men, young people and adults, the adoption of a culture of care – care for oneself, care for others, care for the environment – in place of a culture of waste, a “throw-away culture” where people use and discard themselves, others and the environment.
The Pope received huge applause when he said the following:
Quote MessageI express my hope that COP21 will achieve a global and transformational agreement based on the principles of solidarity, justice, equality and participation; an agreement which targets three complex and interdependent goals: lessening the impact of climate change, fighting poverty and ensuring respect for human dignity.
Quote MessageFor all the difficulties involved, there is a growing conviction that our planet is a homeland and that humanity is one people living in a common home. No country can act independently of a common responsibility.
The Pope has been referring to the upcoming climate change summit in Paris, known as COP21:
Quote MessageIn a few days an important meeting on climate change will be held in Paris, where the international community as such will once again confront these issues.
Quote MessageIt would be sad, and I dare say even catastrophic, were particular interests to prevail over the common good and lead to manipulating information in order to protect their own plans and projects.
Quote MessageCOP21 represents an important stage in the process of developing a new energy system which depends on a minimal use of fossil fuels, aims at energy efficiency and makes use of energy sources with little or no carbon content.
Quote MessageWe are faced with a great political and economic obligation to rethink and correct the dysfunctions and distortions of the current model of development.
Here are some quotes from Pope Francis' speech at the UN offices in Nairobi:
Quote MessageOn my way to this hall, I was asked to plant a tree in the park of the United Nations Centre. I was happy to carry out this simple symbolic act, which is so meaningful in many cultures.
Quote MessagePlanting a tree is first and foremost an invitation to continue the battle against phenomena like deforestation and desertification.
Quote MessageIt reminds us of the importance of safeguarding and responsibly administering those richly biodiverse lungs of our planet, which include, on this continent, the Congo basins, a place essential for the entire earth and for the future of humanity.
Pope Francis is due to speak shortly at the UN headquarters in Nairobi.
He is expected to give a major statement on the environment ahead of the Paris climate change summit, where world leaders will gather next week.
You can follow the Vatican's livestream (with English translation) below:
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Let's take a quick look at another story...
Tanzania's new President John Maugufuli has taken a tough stance on wasting public money since taking office.
On Monday, he announced that he was cancelling independence day celebrations in order to save money.
But now on social media, Tanzanians and others across the region have been putting themselves in Mr Maguguli's shoes, using the hashtag #WhatWouldMagufuliDo, external to imagine how they might cut costs if they adopted their president's austere approach to spending.
Here are some of the money-saving ideas people have come up with:
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Someone has even invented a new word to explain the Magufuli philosophy:
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Pope Francis is even brought in on the joke, referring to the fact that he has rejected the normal limousine available in favour of more modest vehicles since becoming pontiff.
Now back to the Pope's speech on the environment at the UN in Nairobi...
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Several mothers in the western Kenyan town of Kakamenga have decided to call their newborn babies Francis, in honour of the Pope's visit, Kenya's Standard newspaper reports, external.
"I want my son to be blessed and famous like the Pope himself. I want him also to touch the lives of many people across the world," said one of the mothers quoted in the article.
Image source, AFPPope Francis has received a rapturous welcome in Kenya
Pope Francis has just finished speaking. Here are some key quotes from his afternoon address in Nairobi, as reported by local media:
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Pope Francis meets started speaking in the grounds of St. Mary's School in Nairobi. He is addressing members of the clergy and seminarians, who are training to become priests.
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You can follow the address live here (with translation into English) on The Vatican YouTube channel:
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Pope Francis is due to arrive in the next thirty minutes at St Mary's school in Nairobi to meet members of the clergy and other officials.
His congregation is ready and waiting, and in good voice, based on this video tweeted by Citizen TV Kenya:
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Later today, the Pope will make a key environment speech at the UN regional headquarters in Nairobi, ahead of world leaders meeting in Paris next week for talks on climate change.
He's likely to urge them to work together towards the common good, rather than selfishly, to preserve the planet for future generations.
The Pope warned earlier this year of humanity turning the earth into a huge pile of filth, with wealthier nations exploiting its riches at the expense of the poor.
The Kenyan's government's Twitter feed for the Pope's visit has posted this video of him planting a tree at State House on Wednesday:
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The United Nations Environment Programme has been tweeting ahead of the pontiff's visit:
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President Uhuru Kenyatta has tweeted photos from this morning's Mass service of him and the first lady meeting Pope Francis:
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People "were very excited" to see Pope Francis as he held a mass for tens of thousands of people in Nairobi, according to one Kenyan faithful who attended the service.
Benjamin Gakuru told the BBC's Outside Source radio programme that even the pouring rain could not dampen the spirits of those present:
Huge crowds braced the rain in Nairobi to celebrate Mass with Pope Francis
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