Pope Francis meets South Sudan's President Salva Kiir in March 2019 (Vatican Media)
In a rare gesture seeking peace for the South Sudanese, Pope Francis kissed the feet of warring factions.
The leaders had completed a two-day spiri tual retreat at the Vatican.
"I am asking you as a brother to stay in peace. I am asking you with my heart, let us go forward," the 82-year-old pontiff said after he performed the rare gesture.
President Salva Kiir and his rival, the former rebel leader Riek Machar, clashed in 2013 leading to a civil war that left 400,000 people dead.
But they signed a peace agreement last year that brought the war to an end.
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