'Together, we must say no to hatred, to revenge and to violence, particularly that violence which is perpetrated in the name of a religion or of God himself,' he said

He hailed Africa as 'the continent of hope' and made a powerful impression on both Muslim rebels and Christian militias in Central African Republic.

In extraordinary scenes before he held a papal mass at the capital's Barthelemy Boganda stadium, a group of Muslim rebels from the PK5 area leapt out of two pickup trucks, all wearing T-shirts bearing the Pope's image.

As they pushed through the crowd in an area where Muslims usually do not dare to venture, people cheered and shouted: 'It's over

'.

After flying back home to Rome today, the Pope spoke in front of his weekly audience in St Peter's Square, Vatican City.

'We thought the whole world had abandoned us, but not him. He loves us Muslims too,' said Idi Bohari, an elderly man.

The landlocked Central African Republic descended into bloodshed after longtime Christian leader Francois Bozize was ousted by rebels from the mainly Muslim Seleka force in March 2013.

The coup plunged the former French colony into its worst crisis since independence in 1960, and more than 100 people have been killed in the capital since late September alone.

After flying back home to Rome today, the Pope spoke in front of his weekly audience in St Peter's Square, Vatican City.