Pope Leo XIV Concludes Second Leg of Africa Apostolic Journey

Pope Leo XIV has concluded the second leg of his Apostolic Journey through Africa, completing visits to Cameroon and Angola before preparing to continue his pilgrimage to other nations on the continent. The pontiff’s six-day African tour, which began in Yaoundé and moved to Luanda, focused on themes of peace, reconciliation, and care for the marginalized, according to Vatican News.

In Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV met with President Paul Biya and held an open-air Mass at the Omnisports Stadium in Yaoundé, where he urged leaders to prioritize justice and dialogue in resolving regional tensions. He also visited a center for victims of the Anglophone conflict, offering prayers and encouragement to those affected by years of instability in the country’s Northwest and Southwest regions.

Upon arriving in Angola, the Pope was welcomed by President João Lourenço at the presidential palace in Luanda. He then presided over a Mass at the 24 de Agosto Square, drawing tens of thousands of faithful. In his homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of healing historical wounds and fostering unity, particularly in a nation still addressing the social and economic aftermath of its civil war, which ended in 2002.

During his time in Angola, the pontiff also visited a maternal and child health clinic supported by Catholic charities in the outskirts of Luanda, highlighting the Church’s role in healthcare delivery. He met with young people at a Catholic university, encouraging them to be agents of change and peacebuilders in their communities.

The Apostolic Journey, which began on April 12, 2026, is scheduled to include stops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan before concluding in early May. Vatican officials said the trip underscores the Holy See’s continued commitment to engaging with African nations on issues of human dignity, interreligious dialogue, and sustainable development.

Pope Leo XIV, elected in 2023, has made outreach to the Global South a hallmark of his papacy, with previous visits to Southeast Asia and Latin America. His current African journey marks the first time a pope has visited both Cameroon and Angola during a single apostolic trip since Pope John Paul II’s travels in the 1980s and 1990s.