On April 21, 2025, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled for Pope Francis, marking the end of his life and his 12-year papacy. As the 265th successor of St. Peter, the Argentinian pontiff left a lasting impact on the Catholic Church.

Here are nine significant moments that have become part of Pope Francis' legacy:

1. Election of the first Latin American pope

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to hold the office — two “firsts” that signaled a shift away from a historically Eurocentric Church. His choice of the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, hinted at priorities rooted in humility, poverty, and care for creation.

Even his first appearance broke with convention: no traditional vestments, no grand proclamations — just a quiet “buona sera” and a request that the crowd pray for him before he blessed them.

2. The publication of Laudato Si’

With the release of his encyclical Laudato Si’ in 2015, the Holy Father positioned the Catholic Church as a major moral voice in the global climate conversation. The document framed environmental destruction not just as a scientific or political issue but as a spiritual and ethical crisis tied to inequality and human dignity. He spoke of the Earth as “our common home,” urging collective responsibility across nations and religions. The encyclical resonated far beyond Catholic circles, earning praise from environmental advocates worldwide.

3. Visit to the United States and address to Congress

In September 2015, Pope Francis made his one and only visit to the U.S. and became the first pope to address Congress. He used the platform to speak about immigration, economic inequality, and the moral responsibilities of political leadership. Referencing figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Dorothy Day, he framed his message in terms of justice and human dignity and encouraged lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good.

4. Launch of World Day of the Poor

In November 2017, Pope Francis held the first-ever World Day of the Poor and sat down to eat lunch with 4,000 poor and in need people from Rome. Celebrated on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor in his apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera, presented Nov. 20, 2016, at the end of the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy. The purpose of the event is to encourage Catholics to reflect on how poverty is an important aspect of the Gospel and to encounter the poor.

Pope Francis raises his glass at the start of a lunch with poor and economically disadvantaged people in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Nov. 19, 2023. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA 5. Confronting the clergy abuse crisis

Confronting the clergy sexual abuse crisis became one of the most defining and difficult aspects of Francis’ papacy. In 2014, he established the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.

His most significant legal reform came with Vos Estis Lux Mundi (2019), which created a global system for reporting abuse, required dioceses worldwide to set up accessible reporting mechanisms, and introduced procedures to investigate bishops accused of misconduct or cover-ups. That same year, he abolished the “pontifical secret” — a rule of confidentiality protecting sensitive information regarding the governance of the universal Church — in abuse cases.

6. A shepherd praying for the world during a global pandemic

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic produced one of the most enduring images of Francis’ papacy: the pope standing alone in a rain-soaked St. Peter’s Square, offering an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing for a world in crisis. It was a moment of stark symbolism — emptiness, vulnerability, and quiet solidarity. Throughout the pandemic, he called for global cooperation, urged respect for scientific guidance, and advocated for equitable vaccine distribution.

Pope Francis gives an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on March 27, 2020. | Credit: Vatican Media 7. Historic visit to Iraq

Among the most striking journeys of Pope Francis’ papacy was his 2021 trip to Iraq, the first ever by a pope, undertaken despite security risks and the lingering devastation left by years of war and the rise of ISIS. Visiting cities like Mosul and Qaraqosh — places scarred by violence and the persecution of Christians — the Holy Father delivered a message of resilience, coexistence, and hope.

His historic meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf marked a powerful moment of interfaith dialogue, underscoring his commitment to building bridges between religions. Praying amid the ruins of churches and addressing displaced communities, the pope sought to amplify the voices of those who had endured conflict and displacement, reinforcing a central theme of his papacy.

Pope Francis meets with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, Iraq, on March 6, 2021. | Credit: Vatican Media 8. The Synod on Synodality

Another defining initiative of Francis’ papacy was the Synod on Synodality — an ambitious multiyear process aimed at reshaping how the Catholic Church listens, discerns, and makes decisions.

Launched in 2021 and culminating in global assemblies in Rome in October 2024, the synod invited unprecedented participation from laypeople, women, and marginalized groups, signaling Francis’ desire for a more inclusive and consultative Church.

Rather than focusing on a single issue, it centered on the idea of “synodality” itself: shared responsibility and dialogue across all levels of the Church. Some topics of discussion included the role of women and laity, clerical accountability, outreach to marginalized groups, and ecumenism.

9. His final, international papal trip

Only seven months before he passed away, Pope Francis embarked on a 12-day trip of more than 20,000 miles over seven flights through Asia and Oceania. The trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore was his most ambitious international trip and the longest of his 12-year pontificate.

Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Esplanade of Taci Tolu in Dili, Timor-Leste, on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Traveling to regions where Catholics are a minority, he emphasized interreligious dialogue in Muslim-majority Indonesia, emphasized care for the environment and supporting Indigenous communities in Papua New Guinea, encouraged the youth to embrace hope, fraternity, and the faith in East Timor, and stressed the importance of social cohesion and protecting the vulnerable in a wealthy society in Singapore.

Pope Leo XIV continued his apostolic journey in Africa on April 20 in Angola, flying to Saurimo, where he visited a home for the elderly and celebrated Mass for more than 60,000 faithful.

“There are erroneous motives for seeking Christ, particularly when he is considered to be a guru or a good luck charm,” the pope said on April 20, referring to how the crowds in the Gospel reading reacted after Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.

He concluded his day with a meeting with bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, catechists, and other pastoral workers at the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda.

Here are some of the highlights of Pope Leo’s activities on Monday:

Pope Leo XIV receives a gift during his visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV addresses the audience during his visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets the crowd during his visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to residents during his visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV listens to residents during his visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives the offerings during the presentation of the gifts at Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowds before celebrating Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. Despite the intense heat, upon reaching the esplanade before Mass, Leo XIV greeted the roughly 60,000 faithful of all ages — who had come from across the region and neighboring dioceses — by making a circuit in the popemobile. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowds from the popemobile before celebrating Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV holds a baby during his visit to the apostolic nunciature in Angola on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful during his visit to the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV addresses bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, catechists, and other pastoral workers at the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV venerates a crucifix during a meeting with bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, catechists, and other pastoral workers at the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV addresses bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, catechists, and other pastoral workers at the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets young people outside of the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

LUANDA, Angola — Pope Leo XIV on Monday thanked the Catholic Church in Angola for its long-standing witness in a nation still marked by the wounds of war, praising its efforts to help build the country on “the solid foundations of reconciliation and peace.”

“Thank you also for your steadfast commitment to contribute to the progress of this nation on the solid foundations of reconciliation and peace,” the pope said April 20 during a meeting with bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, catechists, and other pastoral workers at the Parish of Our Lady of Fátima in Luanda.

The parish, dedicated to Our Lady of Fátima and built by Capuchin Franciscans in 1963, welcomed the pope with a festive reception. Two children greeted him at the entrance with flowers, while young women in red skirts danced on the church square as they awaited his arrival.

The stop was one of the pope’s final public events in Angola before his departure Tuesday for Equatorial Guinea, the last leg of his African journey.

Leo thanked the Church in Angola for its vitality and missionary spirit, telling clergy and religious that the Lord sees the generosity with which they have embraced their vocation.

“It is therefore worth opening your hearts completely to Christ!” he said. “Do not be afraid to say ‘yes’ to Christ, to model your lives entirely on his! Do not be afraid of tomorrow, for you belong completely to the Lord.”

Addressing seminarians and those in formation in particular, the pope emphasized the total gift of self to God in priestly and religious life.

“It is worth following him in obedience, poverty, and celibacy. He takes nothing away! The only thing he takes from us and takes upon himself is sin. Yes, from him you receive everything,” he said.

The pope also highlighted the importance of catechists, calling their ministry a foundational expression of ecclesial life in Africa.

“Particularly in Africa, it is a fundamental expression of the life of the Church, which can serve as an inspiration for Catholic communities throughout the world,” he said.

Fifty years after Angola’s independence, Leo reflected on the country’s future and on the Christian duty to help shape it.

“All Angolans, without exception, have the right to build up this country and to benefit from it equitably; however, the Lord’s disciples have the duty to do so according to the law of charity,” he said.

The pope framed that responsibility above all as a call to fidelity to Christ. Referring to the Angolan bishops’ current three-year pastoral plan, “Faithful Disciples, Joyful Disciples,” he said the first path the Lord opens before the Church is fidelity.

“The first path is fidelity to Christ,” he said, urging ongoing formation, vigilance in personal integrity, and perseverance “in proclaiming the good news of peace.”

Leo said formation must be rooted not only in study and pastoral structures but also in a contemplative life nourished by prayer, adoration, and the broader cultivation of the human person.

“Formation is much broader,” he said. “It concerns the unity of our inner life, care for ourselves and for the gift of God we have received … by drawing on literature, music, sports, the arts in general, and above all, prayer of adoration and contemplation.”

He also encouraged clergy and religious to remain close to the people, especially the poor, and to reject privilege, arrogance, and self-centeredness.

“Do not detach yourselves from the people, especially the poor, and shun the pursuit of privileges,” he said.

The pope gave special thanks to families, calling them indispensable in nurturing vocations and asking relatives to support priests and religious with prayer and honest counsel rather than seeking personal advantage from their ecclesial service.

After winning independence in 1975, Angola was plunged into a civil war that lasted until 2002. The long conflict left enduring scars, making the Church’s message of reconciliation and peace especially resonant today.

Turning to Angola’s history of conflict, Leo said the Church’s fidelity today is especially tied to the proclamation of peace.

“In the past, you have shown courage in denouncing the scourge of war,” he said. “Your contribution is widely recognized and appreciated. But this responsibility is not over!”

He urged the Church to promote a renewed sense of reconciliation by educating people in the ways of peace and by honoring those who have learned to forgive after enduring suffering.

“It is therefore essential that, while interpreting current events with wisdom, you never cease to denounce injustices, offering solutions in accordance with Christian charity,” he said.

Leo also called on the Church to continue cooperating in the country’s “integral development,” especially through education and health care.

“Continue to be a generous Church, cooperating in the integral development of your country,” he said.

He concluded by pointing to the witness of those who gave their lives for Angola and for the Gospel.

“Remember the heroic witness of faith given by Angolans — men and women, missionaries born here or coming from abroad — who had the courage to give their lives for this people and for the Gospel, preferring death to betraying the justice, truth, mercy, charity, and peace of Christ,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

SAURIMO, Angola — Pope Leo XIV warned at Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on Monday of making God into an idol that is sought only when advantageous — “when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices.”

“There are erroneous motives for seeking Christ, particularly when he is considered to be a guru or a good luck charm,” the pope said on April 20, referring to how the crowds in the Gospel reading reacted after Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.

“They were not seeking a teacher whom they love but a leader to applaud for their own advantage,” he said.

Joyful faith in Saurimo Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

From the start of his arrival in Sub-Saharan Africa — first in Cameroon and then in Angola — Pope Leo has been welcomed by the warmth of the faithful. In Saurimo, a city in northeastern Angola, the atmosphere greeting the pope on Monday was marked by joyful faith. Everyone welcomed the successor of Peter with songs, dances, and applause.

Despite the intense heat, upon reaching the esplanade before Mass, Leo XIV greeted the roughly 60,000 faithful of all ages — who had come from across the region and neighboring dioceses — by making a circuit in the popemobile.

“This is the first time a pope has gone beyond Angola’s coastal belt and come — using Pope Francis’ language — to the peripheries,“ the director of the communications office of the Archdiocese of Saurimo said. ”This is a region rich in diamonds, but there is also great poverty, and he comes here to show our reality. For us, having the Holy Father in our region is a great joy.”

“This is a unique and unforgettable moment in my life and in the lives of the many pilgrims here today,” Filomena Vunda, who works in the pastoral secretariat of the Archdiocese of Malanje, told ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, at the Mass.

Vunda encouraged non-Catholics in Angola to “keep in mind our African word ‘Ubuntu’: The happiness of others depends on me; my happiness depends solely on the happiness of others.”

Ubuntu is an African philosophy about human interconnectedness. It can be translated as “I am because we are.”

‘Disciples of Christ’

In his homily at Mass, concelebrated by Angolan bishops, Pope Leo said: “In every part of the world, the Church lives as a people who walk as disciples of Christ, our brother and redeemer.”

"He, the Risen One, illumines for us the path to the Father and with the strength of the Spirit he sanctifies us so that we may transform our way of life in conformity with his love," the pope said. "This is the good news, the Gospel that courses through our veins like blood, sustaining us on the journey. A journey that has brought me here with you today!”

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Commenting on the Gospel of the day, Leo reflected: “Indeed, when the Son of God became man, he performed striking miracles in order to manifest the will of the Father: He made light shine in the darkness by giving sight to the blind, he gave a voice to the oppressed by loosening the tongues of the mute, he slaked our thirst for justice by multiplying bread for the poor and weak. Anyone who heard about these works set out in search of Jesus. At the same time, the Lord looks into our heart and asks us whether we seek him out of gratitude or for our own self-interest, with calculation or with love.”

“The Lord himself says,” the pope continued, “‘you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves’ (Jn 6:26). His words reveal the designs of those who do not want to encounter a person but want to consume things. The crowd sees Jesus as means to an end, a provider of services. If he had not given them something to eat, his actions and teachings would not have interested them.”

“This happens,” Leo XIV explained, “when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices, in which God becomes an idol that is sought only when it is advantageous to us and only for as long as it is. Even the most beautiful gifts of the Lord, which are always for the care of his people, become a pretext, a prize or a bargaining chip, and are misinterpreted by those who receive them.”

“How different is Jesus’ attitude toward us,” the pontiff continued. “Yet, he does not reject this insincere search, but encourages its conversion ... Christ calls us to freedom: He does not want servants or clients, rather he seeks brothers and sisters to whom he can totally dedicate himself.”

“Therefore,” Leo XIV said, “the admonition that the Lord directs to the crowd is transformed into an invitation: ‘Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life’ (Jn 6:27)."

“His gift sheds light on our current situation,” the pope went on. “We can see today how the hope of many people is frustrated by violence, exploited by the powerful, and defrauded by the rich. Consequently, when injustice corrupts hearts, the bread of all becomes the possession of a few."

“In the face of these evils, Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history by lifting us up from every fall, comforting us in every suffering, and encouraging us in our mission," he said.

Crowds of people brave the heat and sun to attend Mass with Pope Leo XIV in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. | Credit: Raúl Kangombe Sapiti/ACI Africa

“All this,” the pope exhorted, “means that, in light of our discipleship, the ecclesial journey is a ‘synod of resurrection and hope,’ as St. John Paul II affirmed in his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Africa. Let us proceed in this wise direction! Christ himself guides and strengthens our journey, a journey that we want to learn to live more and more as it should be, that is, in a synodal manner.”

The pope concluded by recalling the importance of the martyrs and saints, whose witness “encourages us and pushes us onto a path of hope, reconciliation, and peace, along which the gift of God becomes the responsibility of the head of the household, in the Christian community, in civil society.”

"The vitality of the vocations that you experience [in Angola]," he said, "is a sign that you are responding to the Lord’s gift, which is always abundant for those who welcome it with pure hearts.”

ACI Africa reporter Raúl Kangombe Sapiti contributed to this report.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

SAURIMO, Angola — Pope Leo XIV flew to Saurimo, Angola, on Monday, where he visited a home for the elderly, whom he said have a wisdom that should be listened to.

The pope began his brief greeting by thanking those present for the faith-filled welcome, saying it "touched my heart" and "is a great comfort to me as I carry out my mission.”

Pope Leo XIV visits a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News.

“It struck me to learn that you call this place ‘lar,’ which means ‘home,’” he said. “I thank God for this, and I hope that all of you are truly able to live here in a family atmosphere as much as possible.”

“Jesus loved to be at the home of his friends," he recalled. "I would like to think that Jesus also lives here, in this home. Yes, he dwells among you whenever you try to love one another and help one another as brothers and sisters."

Pope Leo XIV visits a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News.

“When you forgive each other and seek reconciliation after a misunderstanding or a small offense, he is here among you. When all of you, or even some of you, pray together with simplicity and humility, he is here among you,” the pope said.

“The care of the weakest,” he concluded, “is a very important sign of the quality of the social life of a nation. Let us not forget that the elderly are not only in need of assistance, but first and foremost need to be listened to, because they preserve the wisdom of a people."

Pope Leo XIV visits a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, on April 20, 2026. Credit: Patrick Leonard/EWTN News.

After concluding his visit to the nursing home, the pope will go to the open esplanade in Saurimo for the celebration of Mass. Saurimo, erected as a diocese by Pope Paul VI in 1975, was later elevated to the rank of archdiocese by Pope Benedict XVI, two years after his apostolic journey to Angola in March 2009.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV continued his apostolic journey in Africa on April 19 in Angola, celebrating Mass in Kilamba before leading the rosary in a gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima.

Addressing young people, members of the Legion of Mary, and other pilgrims gathered at the shrine, the pope said he was “pleased to share this moment of Marian prayer” with them.

Here are some of the highlights of Pope Leo’s activities on Sunday:

Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds gathered before Mass in Kilamba, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV makes the sign of the cross at the beginning of Mass in Kilamba, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Kilamba, Angola, on April 19, 2026. About 100,000 faithful packed the large esplanade where the Eucharistic celebration took place. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Kilamba, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV incenses the altar during Mass in Kilamba, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV looks out the window during his ride to the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds gathered to pray the rosary at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a baby during his visit to the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV lays flowers at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV leads the rosary at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Crowds gather to pray the rosary with Pope Leo XIV at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima in Kimbaxe, Angola, on April 19, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

KIMBAXE, Angola — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged young people in Angola to help build “a better, welcoming world, where there is no more war, injustice, poverty, or dishonesty,” during a rosary gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima.

The shrine, whose name means “Mother of the Heart” in Kimbundu, is one of Angola’s best-known Marian sanctuaries. Built by the Portuguese in the 17th century on a hill overlooking the Kwanza River, it has long been a place of pilgrimage and prayer for Angolan Catholics.

Addressing young people, members of the Legion of Mary, and other pilgrims gathered at the shrine, the pope said he was “pleased to share this moment of Marian prayer” with them.

“Together we have recited the holy rosary, an ancient and simple devotion that originated in the Church as a form of prayer for everyone,” Leo said.

Quoting St. John Paul II, the pope described the rosary as the prayer of a Christianity that has preserved the “freshness of its beginnings and feels drawn by the Spirit of God to ‘set out into the deep’ ... to proclaim, and even cry out, before the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.”

Leo said that in the “living and young Church of Angola,” one can “truly feel the freshness of faith and the power of the Spirit.”

He reflected on the history of the shrine, saying it has been a place where “for centuries, many men and women have prayed in times of joy and also in moments of sorrow and great suffering in the history of this country.”

“For a long time now, Mama Muxima has quietly worked to keep the heart of the Church alive and beating,” he said. “Her heart contains a multitude of hearts: yours, and those of many people who love, pray, celebrate, weep, and sometimes — even when unable to come in person — entrust their requests and petitions to letters and postal messages.”

“Mama Muxima welcomes everyone, listens to everyone, and prays for everyone,” he added.

Meditating on the glorious mysteries, the pope said the faithful were contemplating both their destiny in Christ and their mission in his love.

“At Easter, Christ conquered death, showing us the way back to the Father,” Leo said. “And so that we too may walk this luminous and demanding path, sharing its beauty with the whole world, he has given us his Spirit, who animates and sustains us on our journey and in our mission.”

“Like Mary, we too are made for heaven,” he continued. “As we journey toward heaven with joy, we look to her as our good Mother and model of holiness. Following her example, we bring the light of the risen One to the brothers and sisters we meet.”

The pope also reflected on the popular title of the shrine, saying that although it is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the faithful have spontaneously renamed it the shrine of the “Mother of the Heart.”

“It is a beautiful title, which makes us reflect on the heart of Mary: a pure and wise heart, capable of treasuring and pondering the extraordinary events in the life of the Son of God,” he said.

Leo said praying the rosary means taking on a concrete responsibility toward others.

“Praying the rosary, then, commits us to loving every person with a mother’s heart — concretely and generously — and to dedicating ourselves to the good of one another, especially the poorest,” he said.

“A mother loves all her children in the same way and with her whole heart, even though each one is different,” the pope continued. “In the presence of the Mother of the Heart, we too want to promise to do likewise.”

“We strive without measure so that no one may lack love,” he said. “We also seek to provide the necessities for living with dignity and happiness: that the hungry may have enough to eat, that the sick may receive the necessary care, that children may be guaranteed a proper education, and that the elderly may live their later years in peace.”

“A mother thinks of all these things. Indeed, Mary thinks of all these things, and she also invites us to share in her maternal concern,” he added.

Turning again to the young people gathered at the shrine, Leo pointed to the construction of a new sanctuary there as a sign of a larger calling.

“Dear young people, members of the Legion of Mary, brothers and sisters, Our Lady asks us to let ourselves be moved by the sentiments of her heart, so that like her, we may be workers for justice and bearers of peace,” he said.

“Here, a great project is underway: the construction of a new shrine, able to welcome all who come on pilgrimage. Everyone — especially you young people — should take this as a sign,” the pope said.

“For the Mother of Heaven entrusts a great project to you as well: to build a better, welcoming world, where there is no more war, injustice, poverty or dishonesty, and where the principles of the Gospel increasingly inspire and shape hearts, structures, and programs, for the good of all.”

“It is love that must triumph, not war!” Leo said. “This is what the heart of Mary — the heart of the Mother of all — teaches us.”

“Let us set out, then, from this shrine as ‘messenger angels’ of life, bringing Mary’s tender embrace and God’s blessing to everyone,” he said.

At the end of his address, the pope invoked a hymn familiar to devotees of Mama Muxima: “Mother of the Heart, we come to you to offer you everything.”

“Dearest friends, let us offer everything to Mary, giving ourselves entirely to our brothers and sisters, and let us joyfully receive, through her intercession, the Lord’s blessing, so that we may bring it to everyone we meet,” he said. “Amen.”

In his greeting, Bishop Emilio Sumbelelo of Viana highlighted the importance of devotion to Mama Muxima in Angola and noted that in 2022 the cornerstone of a future basilica was laid by the president of the republic and blessed by the late Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento. The basilica will be dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception of Muxima, fulfilling a promise made by the Angolan government to the Catholic Church during St. John Paul II’s 1992 visit to the country.

For many Angolans, the shrine remains a powerful symbol of faith, national memory, and hope.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

KILAMBA, Angola — Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in Angola on Sunday in Kilamba, a fast-growing city about 20 miles from the capital, Luanda, telling the faithful that Angola must “look to the future with hope” and “build the hope of the future.”

Kilamba, inaugurated in 2011, has grown into a city of about 130,000 inhabitants, according to the most recent Angolan government census. Built with financing tied to a Chinese public investment company, the city’s layout and architecture evoke the urban planning of Chinese population centers more than that of a typical African city.

Yet the atmosphere at the papal Mass was unmistakably African.

About 100,000 faithful packed the large esplanade where the Eucharistic celebration took place. Many wore traditional Angolan dress. Scouts were present in large numbers, along with members of the military, doctors, nurses, priests, and missionaries — lay and religious — who have worked in Angola for years and did not want to miss the occasion.

“This visit is an occasion of celebration and hope, for us and for this beautiful land that is Angola,” a Polish missionary from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary told EWTN News.

At around 10:15 a.m. local time, Pope Leo began the Mass. The entrance procession was accompanied by a hymn marked by both faith and enthusiasm, hallmarks of the African crowds that have greeted the pontiff throughout this trip.

“I celebrate the Eucharist here among you with a grateful heart. Thanks be to God for this gift, and thank you for your warm welcome!” the pope said at the start of his homily.

Reflecting on the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Leo said he saw in that scene “a reflection of the history of Angola, of this beautiful yet wounded country, which hungers and thirsts for hope, peace and fraternity.”

He continued: “Indeed, the conversation along the road between the two disciples, who reflected with sorrow on what had happened to their Master, brings to mind the pain that has marked your country: a long civil war with its aftermath of enmities and divisions, of squandered resources and poverty.”

“When one is long immersed in a history so characterized by pain, one can risk losing hope and remaining paralyzed by discouragement, just like the two disciples,” he said.

The pope then pointed to what he called the central Christian answer to such suffering: “Dear friends, the Good News of the Lord, even for us today, is precisely this: he is alive, he has risen, and he walks beside us as we journey along the path of suffering and bitterness, opening our eyes so that we may recognize his work and granting us the grace to start afresh and rebuild the future.”

Recalling how Christ accompanied the two disciples in their disappointment, Leo said the same path is now set before Angola.

“Here, too, is the path laid out for us, for you, dear Angolan brothers and sisters, to begin anew. On the one hand, there is the certainty that the Lord accompanies us and has compassion on us, and on the other, the commitment that he asks from us,” he said.

The pope stressed prayer, Scripture, and especially the Eucharist as the place where believers encounter God and renew hope. He also warned against distortions of faith.

“For this reason, we must always be vigilant regarding those forms of traditional religiosity that certainly belong to the roots of your culture, but at the same time risk confusing and mixing magical and superstitious elements that do not aid your spiritual journey,” he said.

“Remain faithful to what the Church teaches, trust your pastors, and keep your gaze fixed on Jesus, who reveals himself in the word and in the Eucharist,” he added.

Leo then turned to the mission of the Church in Angola, saying the country’s continuing hardships require “the presence of a Church that knows how to walk alongside you and how to heed the cry of its children.”

“A Church that, with the light of the word and the nourishment of the Eucharist, knows how to rekindle lost hope,” he said. “A Church made up of people like you who give of themselves just as Jesus gave of himself in the breaking of the bread for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.”

“Angola needs bishops, priests, missionaries, men and women religious, and lay people who carry in their hearts the desire to ‘break’ their own lives and give them to others, to commit themselves to mutual love and forgiveness, to build spaces of fraternity and peace, and to perform acts of compassion and solidarity towards those most in need,” the pope said.

In the final part of the homily, Leo appealed for national renewal, saying that “it is possible to build together a country where old divisions are overcome once and for all, where hatred and violence disappear, and where the scourge of corruption is healed by a new culture of justice and sharing.”

“Only in this way will a promising future be possible, especially for the many young people who have lost hope,” he said.

He concluded with a direct appeal: “Brothers and sisters, today we need to look to the future with hope and to build the hope of the future. Do not be afraid to do so!”

The pope assured those present of his closeness and prayers and entrusted the people of Angola to the protection of the Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Muxima.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV continued his apostolic journey in Africa on April 18, saying Holy Mass in Cameroon before departing for Angola on the next leg of his visit.

The Holy Father will spend several days in Angola before finishing his trip in Equatorial Guinea. This is his first papal trip to the continent.

Here are some of the highlights of Pope Leoʼs latest activities during his trip:

Pope Leo XIV waves to Catholics while at Yaoundé-Ville Airport to say Holy Mass, Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Catholics smile and wave during a papal Holy Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to Catholics during Holy Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV poses with Catholics at Holy Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Catholics during Holy Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Archbishop of Yaoundé Monsignor Jean Mbarga during Holy Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV holds a baby while at Yaoundé-Ville Airport to say Mass in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV views a farewell ceremony at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport in Cameroon, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard the papal plane en route to Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV deboards the papal plane at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives a ceremonial greeting upon his arrival at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives a ceremonial greeting upon his arrival at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives flowers upon his arrival at Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets with Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço in Luanda, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets with Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço in Luanda, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV and Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço speak in Luanda, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV sits during a meeting with government officials and civil leaders in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço during a meeting with government officials and civil leaders in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to government officials and civil leaders in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço during a meeting with government officials and civil leaders in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a child in Luanda, Angola, Saturday, April 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

LUANDA, Angola — Pope Leo XIV on April 18 called on Angola’s leaders and people to “remove the obstacles to integral human development,” urging them to choose the path of the common good, resist exploitative interests, and preserve the hope and joy that, he said, remain among Africa’s greatest treasures.

The pope spoke at the presidential palace in Luanda during his meeting with authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps, the first public event of the Angola leg of his broader trip to Africa.

Arriving in Luanda earlier in the day, Leo traveled by popemobile through jubilant crowds lining the route to the palace. He also held a private meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço before delivering his address.

At the outset of his speech, the pope expressed solidarity with those affected by recent flooding in the country.

“Before continuing, I would like to offer the assurance of my prayers for the victims of the heavy rains and floods that have struck the province of Benguela, and to express my closeness to the families who have lost their homes,” he said. “I also know that you, the people of Angola, are united in a great chain of solidarity with those affected.”

His remarks came against the backdrop of mounting social strains in Angola, including protests last year over fuel price increases, repeated criticism by the country’s bishops over entrenched corruption, and deadly flooding in early April.

Leo framed his address around themes that have marked earlier stops on his Africa trip, including peace, reconciliation, the common good, and criticism of those who exploit the continent for personal gain.

Speaking in Portuguese, the pope praised the Angolan people for possessing “treasures that cannot be bought or taken away.”

“In particular, there dwells within you a joy that not even the most adverse circumstances have been able to extinguish,” he said. This joy, he added, “is no stranger to sorrow, indignation, disappointment and defeat,” yet continues to be reborn in those who have resisted “the seductions of wealth.”

The pope sharply criticized patterns of exploitation directed at Africa.

“You know well that all too often people have looked — and continue to look — to your lands in order to give, or, more commonly, in order to take,” he said. “It is necessary to break this cycle of interests, which reduces reality, and even life itself, to mere commodities.”

Leo described Africa’s joy and hope as “virtues that I would not hesitate to call ‘political,’” because “her young people and her poor continue to dream and to hope.” He said they “are not content with what already exists; they strive to rise above, to prepare themselves for great responsibilities, and to take an active part in shaping their own future.”

He also emphasized that authentic social transformation cannot be imposed ideologically.

“Indeed, the wisdom of a people cannot be stifled by any ideology, and the longing for the infinite that dwells in the human heart is a principle of social transformation far deeper than any political or cultural program,” he said.

The pope said he had come to “listen to and encourage all those who have already chosen the paths of goodness, justice, peace, tolerance and reconciliation,” while also praying “for the conversion of those who choose contrary paths and hinder its harmonious and fraternal development.”

Turning to Angola’s natural wealth, Leo warned against what he called a destructive extractive logic.

“How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are brought about by this logic of extractivism!” he said. At every level, he added, it supports “a model of development that discriminates and excludes, while still presuming to impose itself as the only viable option.”

He said Africa “urgently needs to overcome situations and dynamics of conflict and enmity that tear apart the social and political fabric of many countries, fostering poverty and exclusion.”

Only encounter allows life to flourish, the pope said, and dialogue must come first, even when disagreements emerge.

“Angola can experience great growth if, first of all, those who hold authority in the country believe in the manifold nature of its riches,” he said. “Do not be afraid of disagreement; do not suppress the ideas of the young or the dreams of the elderly; and know how to manage conflicts by transforming them into paths of renewal. Place the common good before every particular interest, never confusing your own part with the whole. History will then vindicate you, even if in the near term some may oppose you.”

Leo then returned to the themes of joy and hope, describing them not as merely private sentiments but as forces with public and political consequences.

“Despots and tyrants of both body and spirit seek to render souls passive and passions gloomy; they prefer a populace prone to inertia, docile and subservient to power,” he said.

Sadness, he argued, leaves people vulnerable to fear, fanaticism, manipulation, and isolation from public life. By contrast, “true joy frees us from such alienation,” he said, calling joy “a gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“Joy intensifies life and leads to the creation of community,” the pope said. “Joy knows how to carve paths even in the darkest zones of stagnation and hardship.”

He concluded with an appeal for moral and social renewal.

“Let us therefore examine our own hearts, dear friends, because without joy there is no renewal; without interiority there is no liberation; without encounter there is no politics; without the other there is no justice.”

Leo said the Catholic Church wants to help Angola become “a project of hope” by fostering a just model of coexistence, especially in poor urban neighborhoods and remote rural areas.

“Let us remove the obstacles to integral human development, working and hoping together alongside those whom the world has discarded but whom God has chosen,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Angola after a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Cameroon on April 18, using the short journey to reject suggestions that his recent remarks about war were aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump while reflecting on the pastoral focus of his African trip.

In a brief in-flight press conference with journalists, the pope addressed the interpretation of some of his recent speeches as a response to criticism from Trump, who had accused him of weakness in foreign policy.

“[T]hereʼs been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about myself,” the pope said.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said.”

He pointed in particular to his address at the April 16 prayer meeting for peace in Cameroon.

“Just one little example, the talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting,” he said.

“And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all.”

Leo XIV said he intends instead to continue proclaiming the Gospel and promoting peace.

“So we go on the journey, we continue proclaiming the Gospel message,” he said.

He added that the liturgies during the trip have highlighted what it means to follow Christ, promote fraternity, and seek justice and peace.

The pope also said the broader African journey has been shaped by themes that emerged at the start of the trip in Algeria, especially the figure of St. Augustine.

“I was personally very pleased, as you know, we began the trip in Algeria with the theme of Saint Augustine, and yesterday at the Catholic University, we had the blessing of that beautiful monument that they had prepared with a map of Africa and Saint Augustine at the center,” he said.

“And so in one sense, it expresses part of what this trip is about.”

Leo XIV emphasized that his primary purpose in Africa is to accompany Catholics.

“And I primarily come to Africa as pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all of the Catholics throughout Africa.”

He also referred to a meeting with imams in Cameroon, describing it in general terms as part of the Church’s continuing commitment to interreligious dialogue, understanding, and peace-building.

He concluded his main remarks by thanking journalists for their work and expressing hope that God would continue to bless the journey.

Responding later to a French journalist, Leo XIV expressed gratitude for the reception he received in Cameroon.

“I would just like to thank everyone in Cameroon for the wonderful welcome, the great enthusiasm, the joy of the people,” he said.

“It was absolutely fantastic, the experience ... how wonderful it is to experience what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to celebrate our faith together.”

The pope’s flight took him from Yaoundé to Luanda, crossing over Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Angola. Angola is the third and penultimate stop of his African journey.

The Catholic Church has longstanding ties with Angola. Formal relations date back centuries, including the 1608 appointment of Antonio Manuel Nyunda as the first ambassador to Rome from the then-Kingdom of Kongo.

More recently, in 2019, the Holy See and Angola signed an agreement recognizing the legal personality of the Catholic Church and defining its property rights.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday celebrated Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport in the final public event of his apostolic journey to Cameroon, telling thousands of faithful that “no one must be left alone to confront life’s adversities.”

Before departing later in the day for Angola, the pope reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus walking on the water and tied it to the fears, crises, and social challenges faced by both individuals and nations.

“Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you! It is the peace of Christ, whose presence illuminates our path and calms life’s storms,” Leo said. “As we heard in the Gospel, faith does not spare us from tumult and tribulations. At times, it can seem that fear has the upper hand. However, we know that even in these moments, Jesus does not abandon us.”

Drawing from St. John’s account of the disciples at sea, the pope said that in Jewish tradition, water “often calls to mind the netherworld, chaos, danger and death,” while also recalling the Exodus, when God led his people through the waters to freedom.

“Throughout the ages, the Church has navigated many storms and ‘strong winds,’” he said. “We too can identify with the feelings of fear and doubt experienced by the disciples while crossing the lake of Tiberias.”

Such moments, he said, come when people feel overwhelmed, alone, and weak. “But it is not so,” the pope said. “Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil. In every storm, he comes to us and repeats: ‘I am here with you: do not be afraid.’”

Today’s Mass was the votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles. The Prayer of the Faithful was recited in French, English, Ewondo, Nnanga, and Fulfulde. Many faithful were present, and a colorful crowd took part in the Mass with singing and dancing.

A particularly striking moment was the singing of the Gloria in the Ewondo language, performed by a choir of one thousand men and women from across the ecclesiastical province of Yaoundé.

Another distinctive moment was the procession of the Lectionary, led by traditional chiefs of the Ewondo culture. It underscored how the Word of God is the message of a King, worthy of a royal accompaniment before being solemnly proclaimed.

Leo said Christ does not always calm the storm immediately, but instead comes near in the midst of danger and teaches his followers to remain together in the same boat.

“He invites us not to distance ourselves from those who suffer, but to draw near to them, to embrace them,” the pope said. “No one must be left alone to confront life’s adversities. For this reason, every community has the obligation to create and sustain structures of solidarity and mutual aid in which, when faced with crises — be they social, political, medical or economic — everyone can give and receive assistance according to their own capacity and needs.”

The pope then widened his reflection to social and political life, saying Jesus’ words “It is I” remind Christians that every person’s contribution matters in a society founded on respect for human dignity.

“The exhortation ‘do not be afraid,’ then, takes on a broader meaning, even at a social and political level, as an encouragement to confront problems and challenges — particularly those associated with poverty and justice — together, with a sense of civic and civil responsibility,” he said.

“Faith does not separate the spiritual from the social,” Leo continued. “Indeed, it gives Christians the strength to interact with the world, responding to the needs of others, especially the weakest.”

He warned that isolated efforts are not enough to save a community and said what is needed is “a communal commitment, which integrates the spiritual and moral dimensions of the Gospel in the heart of local institutions and structures, making them instruments for the common good, and not places of conflict, self-interest or sterile struggles.”

Referring to the day’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the pope recalled how the early Church faced its first internal crisis when some members were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The Apostles, he said, responded by gathering together, praying, and creating new structures of service for the good of the community.

“Listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and being attentive to the cry of the suffering, they not only avoided division within the community, but they also equipped it with new instruments suitable to its growth, transforming a moment of crisis into an occasion of enrichment and development for everyone,” he said.

Leo said family and social life also sometimes require “the courage to change mindsets and structures,” so that the dignity of the human person remains central and inequality and marginalization can be overcome.

“God who became man identified himself with the least, and this makes the preferential care for the poor a fundamental part of our Christian identity,” he said.

At the close of the Mass, the pope bid farewell to the people of Cameroon, praising the local Church for its vitality and harmony.

“The Church in Cameroon is alive, young, blessed with gifts and enthusiasm, energetic in its variety and magnificent in its harmony,” he said. “With the help of the Virgin Mary, our Mother, may your joyful presence continue to blossom.”

He added that the “strong winds, which are never lacking in life,” can become opportunities for growth “in the joyful service of God and your brothers and sisters through sharing, listening, praying and the desire to grow together.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV continued his papal trip in Africa on April 17, holding Mass in Japoma Stadium in Cameroon, visiting a Catholic hospital, and meeting with students at the Catholic University of Central Africa.

The Holy Father arrived in Cameroon on April 15 and will depart for Angola on April 18, eventually finishing his first papal trip to the continent in Equatorial Guinea.

Here’s a look at some of the pope’s ongoing activities in Cameroon:

Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Pope Leo XIV greets clergy and thousands of faithful at Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV presides at Mass in Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV incenses a statue of the Blessed Mother at Japoma Stadium during Mass on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets religious sisters at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV blesses a mother and child at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV blesses a mother and child at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV blesses a newborn at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV blesses a child at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV offers a blessing to a patient at St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a student at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to students and dignitaries at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on Friday, April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

On April 16, the Vatican released a message from Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the Second National Meeting of Local Representatives for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults of the Italian Bishops’ Conference being held in Rome April 16–18 under the theme “Forming Authentic Relationships.”

In his message, addressed to Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, and signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, the Holy Father warned that a lack of respect for and recognition of the dignity of every person “may cause serious harm.”

He clarified that respect is “a demanding form of charity, expressed in safeguarding others without possessing them, accompanying them without dominating them, and serving them without humiliating them.”

He pointed out that the protection of minors and vulnerable adults “cannot be understood merely as a set of rules to apply or procedures to follow” but instead requires a wisdom "that shapes the style of communities, the exercise of authority, the formation of educators, vigilance over contexts, and transparency of behavior.”

For the Holy Father, the presence of the youngest and most vulnerable “challenges the conscience of the Church and measures its ability to express authentic care.”

Leo XIV urged that special attention be paid to those who have suffered abuse. “Their wounds,” he noted, “call for sincere closeness, humble listening, and perseverance in seeking what is right and possible for repair.”

The pope emphasized that a Christian community lives out evangelical conversion “when it does not shield itself from the pain of those who have suffered but allows itself to be questioned by it; when it does not minimize evil but acknowledges it; when it does not become closed in on itself in fear of scandal but accepts the demanding paths of truth, justice, and healing.”

According to the pontiff, the meeting being held in Rome reminds the Church of the need “to grow in a culture of prevention that is, above all, a culture of evangelical care.”

Finally, he encouraged the participants to continue their work with confidence, “that communities may grow in which the most fragile are welcomed, protected, and loved.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Pope Leo XIV on Friday encouraged Catholic university students in Cameroon to let their study be informed by “the light of faith, joined to the truth of love” as St. John Henry Newman taught.

“Professors and students are called to embrace as both their aim and their way of life the common search for truth, for, as St. John Henry Newman wrote, ‘All true principles run over with God, all phenomena converge to him,’” the pope said during an encounter at the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital.

UCAC, founded following an agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Cameroon in 1989, serves more than 2,000 students from the six countries of central Africa: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad.

To mark the pope’s visit April 17, the university inaugurated a square on campus, naming it after St. Augustine in honor of Leo.

Plans are also underway for the construction of a university hospital dedicated to the pope: It will become the Leo XIV Catholic University Center.

Pope Leo XIV addresses students, faculty, and others during a visit to the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Upon Pope Leo XIV’s arrival, songs of joy and jubilation filled the air. A celebration of music and chanting erupted as the pope arrived at the campus, where many of the young people were wearing yellow and green T-shirts, the colors of Cameroon. Authorities say 8,000 people were in attendance.

In his address, the pontiff responded to the concerns of many young people, emphasizing that universities — Catholic universities in particular — can become “true communities of life and research,” introducing “students and professors alike to a fraternity in knowledge.”

Through knowledge — which above all means dialogue — it becomes possible to set aside individualism, superficiality, and hypocrisy: “The university stands out as a privileged place of friendship, cooperation, and, at the same time, of interiority and reflection,” Leo underscored.

What makes a university truly significant, he recalled, is the shared search for truth. Quoting from Pope Francis’ encyclical Lumen Fidei, he said, faith, in this way, succeeds in “illuminating” the gaze of science: “Faith encourages the scientist to remain constantly open to reality in all its inexhaustible richness. Faith awakens the critical sense by preventing research from being satisfied with its own formulae and helps it to realize that nature is always greater.”

Speaking about the African continent, he added: "Today, moreover, there is an urgent need to think about faith within the framework of contemporary cultural contexts and present challenges, so that its beauty and credibility may emerge in diverse settings, especially in those most marked by injustice, inequality, conflict, and both material and spiritual degradation.”

AI and a new humanism

“Christians, and especially young African Catholics, must not be afraid of ‘new things,’” the pope said, a reference to Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum.

He invited African youth to become pioneers of “a new humanism in the context of the digital revolution.”

“While the African continent is well acquainted with its alluring aspects, it also knows the darker side of the environmental and social devastation caused by the relentless pursuit of raw materials and rare earths,” Leo said. “Do not look the other way: This is a service to the truth and to all humanity. Without this demanding educational effort, passive adaptation to dominant paradigms will be mistaken for competence, and the loss of freedom for progress.”

He said the spread of artificial intelligence systems, “like every great historical transformation,” call for not only “technical competence but also for a humanistic formation.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses students, faculty, and others during a visit to the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

He warned against superficial misunderstandings of this new digital tool: “When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another.”

“Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounter and dialogue,” he said. “In this way, polarization, conflict, fear, and violence spread. What is at stake is not merely the risk of error but a transformation in our very relationship with truth.”

Hence, he invited Catholic universities to “assume a responsibility of the highest order. For it does not merely transmit specialized knowledge but shapes minds capable of discernment and hearts ready for love and service.”

One of the many challenges facing Cameroon is the “understandable tendency to migrate — which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found,” the pope said.

The Holy Father instead invited young people “to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens.”

This, he said, is the very reason for the existence of a major African university like the one he is visiting today.

Addressing the university’s faculty and leadership, he said: “Spiritual and human accompaniment constitutes an essential dimension of the identity of the Catholic university.”

“Whatever our role or our age, we must always remember that we are all disciples — that is, fellow learners with one Teacher, who so loved the world that he gave his life,” the pope concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

ROME — Catholic students in Rome on Thursday bore witness to the Eucharist during a solemn procession to commemorate 25 years of its student-led adoration program.

During the April 16 procession on the campus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas — “the Angelicum” — students and clergy offered visible testimony to faith in the Real Presence.

Students and faculty of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome participate in a Eucharistic procession on the university’s campus on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, led the procession. In his homily beforehand, Mamberti referenced the soon-to-be Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen, calling adoration an experience that “mysteriously transforms our heart.” He later spoke to EWTN News about the need for such practices to be developed in the wider Church.

The cardinal said it is beautiful when youth gatherings dedicate a part of their time to adoration of the Lord in the Eucharist. “We recognize him as truly present, under the Eucharistic species, and this is an integral part of our faith,” he said. “Otherwise our faith is in vain … Because if Christ is not present in the bread and in the Eucharist and in the wine of the Eucharist, it means that he is not resurrected, as St. Paul says.”

Faith amid challenges

Amid challenges in Eucharistic faith, Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, rector of the Angelicum, described the procession as indicative of a revival among the young. The Angelicum established student-led adoration in 2001 in response to the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Paul II.

Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, speaks to EWTN News on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

“Eucharistic adoration has become more prominent in at least areas of the Church in recent decades. Some of that had to do with initiatives at the time of the pontificate of John Paul II when [student adoration] began here,” White said.

“St. Thomas understood this mystery [of the Eucharist] deeply; he contemplated it, he wrote about it, and studying his thinking about the Eucharist here leads our students into a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist,” the priest said. It also helps students to pray more deeply “and explain the mystery of the Eucharist to the world today as missionaries of the 21st century.”

Impact of program on students

Marcia Vanderstraaten, who is from Singapore and studying for a theology licentiate (similar to a master’s degree), described the student adoration program as a blessing, giving students the opportunity to pray between classes.

Students “take great comfort in being able to see Jesus during their breaks, praying and reflecting. Having the Eucharistic presence in the midst of our community is something that really matters to a lot of us,” she said.

Students of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome participate in a Eucharistic procession on the university’s campus on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

ROME — It is “intolerable” that Christians are being targeted for persecution in Nigeria, said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch during an event in Rome on Friday.

The group Solidarity with the Persecuted Church (SPC) and the Embassy of the United States to the Holy See organized the April 17 conference at the embassy on threats to religious freedom in Nigeria.

Burch spoke to EWTN News on the sidelines about the stance of the U.S. on religious violence in Nigeria. He described the current situation as a “conflict between radical Islamic groups and Christians because of their faith.”

“The United States is the greatest friend of religious liberty,” Burch said. “The purpose of this event is to call attention to the plight of Christians who are being targeted and killed in Nigeria. Unfortunately, there are extremist Islamic groups that have been targeting Christians specifically in their churches and their homes, and the scale and size of the persecution of Christians there is intolerable.”

Asked about the denial by some Nigerian government officials that Christians specifically are being targeted, Burch insisted that the current violence against Christians is alarming, citing U.S. President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern in 2025.

“The president has said that Christians face an existential crisis in Nigeria, and thanks to his leadership, he is now acting to bring an end to this. We have called on the Nigerian government to take necessary steps to protect Christians, and the United States government is now working in partnership with the Nigerian government to assist them in doing just that,” he said.

Steven Wagner, president of SPC, underscored the importance of Nigeria for Christianity in Africa and the need for the Holy See to be involved in raising awareness.

“As Nigeria goes, so goes Africa. More Christians are martyred for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country on earth. There is a huge crisis of internally displaced persons. We are calling on the Vatican to increase public awareness of the problem and to continue to encourage the government of Nigeria to make progress in protecting its people,” Wagner said.

Burch responds to Trump’s comments on the pope

In his opening remarks at the conference, Burch commented for the first time on the recent tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV. He emphasized their difference in approach to armed conflicts and their shared goal of eliminating evil.

“In recent days, President Trump and Pope Leo have exchanged, shall we say, sharp words. We must not pretend there is no disagreement. But both men are driven by an unshakable belief in protecting the innocent. One leads with the sword and shield of American power, the other with the cross of sacrificial love. But both are saying in their own languages, ‘Evil must not triumph and innocence must not be abandoned,’” Burch said.

Papal trip in Africa

The pontiff is currently on his first apostolic journey to Africa — visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and a presenter at the conference, described the trip as a moment of profound unity for all Africans.

“This is Africa, and much of the divisions, according to countries in Africa, are artificial divisions that were imposed on the continent,” Nwachukwu told EWTN News. “Africans quite often feel united even beyond the boundaries. So the popeʼs message to these churches and these populations will also be a message to the population in Nigeria and to the Church in Nigeria.”

Many of the issues the pope is addressing on his trip “are shared in common in Nigeria,” Burch added. The Holy See and the United States “certainly share this deep, fundamental commitment to religious liberty.”

For more than a quarter-century, popes have periodically visited Islamic mosques as part of official voyages and papal visits.

The tradition began with Pope John Paul II, who in 2001 became the first pope in history known to have entered a mosque when he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus in the capital of Syria.

The subsequent Popes Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV have all paid visits to mosques to hold ecumenical dialogues and host diplomatic meetings.

Yet the practice is not without some controversy. Indeed, Leo XIVʼs visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers on April 13 drew some backlash on social media by critics incredulous over the leader of the Catholic Church visiting a major Islamic holy site. (This was Leoʼs second visit to a mosque; he also visited the famed “Blue Mosque” in Istanbul in late 2025.)

Pope Leo XIV stands with Rector Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi at the Great Mosque in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

So why do popes make visits to mosques, courting controversy and criticism for making a point to go to holy sites of another religion?

‘We can live together in peace’

Pope Leo XIV himself addressed criticism directed toward him on April 15 on board the papal plane after leaving Algiers bound for Cameroon.

“I think the visit to the mosque was significant [and showed] that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can [still] live together in peace,” the Holy Father said. 

“I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today,” he said, arguing that such visits show that “together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

Gabriel Said Reynolds, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame who has written multiple works on the Quran and its relationship to Christianity, told EWTN News that interpreting papal visits to mosques should include an understanding of “the Churchʼs vision of God in the world.”

“What is God’s relationship to the world? That’s been important to all of the recent popes,” he said.

Reynolds pointed out that an Islamic mosque is “fundamentally different from a church.”

“A Catholic church is a sort of temple in which God is present in the tabernacle — body, blood, soul, and divinity,” he said. “It’s a sacred space in the deepest sense of the word.”

“What Muslims would say of a mosque is fundamentally different,” he said. “A mosque is for communal prayer, but the communal prayer that takes place in a mosque is no different than the ritual prayer that’s more often done at home.”

He likened a mosque to a “gathering place” with just a few features that set it apart as a distinct site — such as a pulpit for occasional sermons and an alcove that denotes the direction of Mecca to which Muslims orient themselves during prayer.

Reynolds said popes visit mosques in no small part as a “pastoral concern” for Christians living in majority-Muslim countries, such as Algeria.

“Algerian society is thoroughly Islamic,” he said. “It’s not generally marked by notions of rights and responsibilities and citizenship in the same way the U.S. is. Cultivating positive relationships with Muslim leaders is absolutely essential for Christians.”

Reynolds said the Churchʼs view about human dignity has “fundamental implications with its relationship toward non-Christians.” He pointed out, for instance, that the pope “could show up at an atheist convention and meet the people there and have dialogue with them.”

“John 3:16 says God loves the world,” he said. “It’s not that God loves believers and doesn’t love the unbelievers. All people are children of God, according to Catholic teaching.”

The declaration Nostra Aetate, meanwhile — issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 to address Catholicismʼs relationship with non-Christians — affirmed that the Church “regards [Muslims] with esteem.”

The document points out that although Muslims “do not acknowledge Jesus as God,” they still “adore the one God” and “revere [Jesus] as a prophet” while giving honor to the Virgin Mother as well.

The Second Vatican Council acknowledged that “in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen” between Christians and Muslims, but the document “urge[d] all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding.”

It further called on religious adherents to “preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.”

DOUALA, Cameroon — Physical food is not enough, the soul needs the nourishment of the Eucharist, which sustains us in times of fear and suffering, Pope Leo XIV said at a Mass in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday.

Celebrating Mass for more than 120,000 people outside Japoma Stadium, in Cameroon’s economic capital, the pope said in his homily that Jesus’ miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is a sign he came to serve with love, not domination.

The miracle “shows us not only how God provides humanity with the bread of life, but how we can share this sustenance with all men and women who, like ourselves, hunger for peace, freedom and justice,” Leo said.

“Each act of solidarity and forgiveness, every good effort, becomes a morsel of bread for humanity in need of care,” the pope added.

“Yet this alone is not enough: the food that sustains the body must be accompanied, with equal charity, by nourishment for the soul — a nourishment that sustains our conscience and steadies us in dark hours of fear and amid the shadows of suffering. This food is Christ himself, who always gives his Church abundant sustenance and strengthens us on our journey by giving us his Eucharistic Body," he said.

Leo celebrated Mass in French in Douala on his third day in Cameroon. On April 18, he will celebrate Mass in the country’s capital, Yaoundé, before departing for the third country of his apostolic journey in Africa — Angola.

In his homily, delivered mostly in French, the pope reflected on miracle of the loaves and fished, comparing the crowd in the Gospel to those present at the Mass.

“The Gospel we have heard (John 6:1-15) is the word of salvation for all humanity. This Good News is proclaimed today throughout the world; for the Church in Cameroon, it resounds as a providential proclamation of God’s love and of our communion,” he said.

Describing the scene in the Gospel, Pope Leo focused on the crowd and the lack of food: “Jesus asks us today, just as he asked his disciples then: how will you solve this problem? Look at all these hungry people, weighed down by fatigue. What will you do?”

The pope stressed that this question concerns everyone: “It is posed to the fathers and mothers who care for their families. It is directed to the shepherds of the Church, who watch over the Lord’s flock, and also to those who bear social and political responsibility for the people and seek their well-being. Christ asks this question to the powerful and the weak, to the rich and the poor, to the young and the elderly, because we all hunger in the same way.”

“Our necessity reminds us that we are creatures,” he continued. “We need to eat in order to live. We are not God: but where is God in the face of people’s hunger?”

Turning to Christ’s response, Leo underlined the meaning of thanksgiving and sharing: “While awaiting our answers, Jesus gives his own: ‘Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.’ A serious problem was solved by blessing the little food that was present and sharing it with all who were hungry.”

He said the miracle is that “there is bread for everyone if it is given to everyone. There is bread for everyone if it is taken, not with a hand that snatches away, but with a hand that gives.”

Pointing to the Mass being celebrated, the pope highlighted its transforming power as “a source of renewed faith, because Jesus becomes present among us. The sacrament [of the Eucharist] does not merely revive a distant memory; it brings about a ‘companionship’ that transforms us because it sanctifies us.”

“This very altar, around which we gather for the Eucharist, becomes a proclamation of hope amid the trials of history and the injustices we see around us. It is a sign of God’s love; in Christ, the Father invites us to share what we have, so that it may be multiplied in ecclesial fellowship,” Leo said.

Switching to English, Pope Leo addressed young people, asking them to “be the first faces and hands that bring the bread of life to your neighbors, providing them with the food of wisdom and deliverance from all that does not nourish them, but rather obscures good desires and robs them of their dignity.”

Acknowledging the realities of poverty, he issued a warning against violence and corruption, urging them to “not give in to distrust and discouragement” and to “reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive.”

“Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work,” he said.

This story was originally published by ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian-language sister service. It was translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV spent his first full day in Cameroon on April 16 meeting with local Catholics and other officials, hosting a meeting for peace and saying Mass in the central African country.

The Holy Father will ultimately spend several days in Cameroon before heading on to Angola and then Equatorial Guinea during his first apostolic journey to Africa. The trip is scheduled to last through April 23.

Here is a look at the popeʼs activities in Cameroon:

Crowds greet Pope Leo XIV upon his arrival at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport in Cameroon on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Crowds greet Pope Leo XIV as he rides through Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves outside of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, during a peace meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV leads a meeting for peace and reconciliation at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays in adoration before the Eucharist in the Holy Sacrament Chapel of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV leads a peace meeting at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV releases a dove outside of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV processes during Mass at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Hundreds of Catholics pray at the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV elevates the Eucharist during the papal Mass at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Catholics at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds while departing Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media