KAMPALA, Uganda 

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have declared Feb. 1 a public holiday in the capital Kinshasa to allow Catholics to attend a mass led by Pope Francis at Ndolo Airport.

Schools and businesses will be closed as a result.

The public holiday was announced Sunday on state media by the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya.

“Today we announce that Wednesday, which is the day of the papal mass, will be a holiday to allow the faithful to attend the religious service. That day, there will be no classes. This must be very clear. In this way, parents know that on Wednesday, there is no question of stressing themselves out to get up early to take their children to school,” said Muyaya.

Pope Francis, who is 86, will visit DR Congo and South Sudan from Jan. 31 to Feb. 5. Catholics make up around half the population of each country.

The Catholic Church also owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals, schools and clinics in DR Congo.

The pontiff will arrive in Kinshasa on Tuesday and stay until Feb. 3 before traveling to South Sudan’s capital, Juba.