The bishops from Sudan and South Sudan met with Pope Francis for their ad limina visit.
They updated the pope on the Church's work in their respective countries, as well as the latest social developments. A peace deal appears close to being reached in South Sudan, where a five-year conflict between the state and rebels has killed thousands and displaced millions.
As a symbol of hope, the bishops presented the Holy Father with this painting of St. Josephine Bakhita, a slave who later became a religious sister working in Italy.
While Catholics in Sudan make up around 10 percent of its population, nearly 40 percent of South Sudanese are members of the Church, including the country's president.
