Over 120,000 cheering Catholics attended Pope Leo XIV's open-air Friday mass in the Cameroonian port city of Douala, where the pontiff delivered a forceful message of peace during the second leg of his 11-day Africa tour. He implored the crowd to reject violence and abuse, stating in his French homily: "Do not give in to distrust and discouragement. Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives with easy gains but hardens the heart."

The Pope's words were particularly directed at Cameroon's youth, who face mass unemployment amid ongoing internal conflicts and entrenched political power. His visit comes as he has recently faced attacks from US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who publicly lashed out at the head of the Roman Catholic Church after he condemned the folly of war. Despite this, Pope Leo continued to criticize conflict and greed in Africa, alleging that "those who, in the name of profit, continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it."

In remarks delivered in the presence of President Paul Biya, the 93-year-old leader who has ruled Cameroon with an iron fist since 1982, the Pope urged the government to root out corruption and human rights abuses: "Security is a priority, but it must always be exercised with respect for human rights." This statement was striking given that Biya's forces violently put down demonstrations against his reelection last October, killing dozens.

Archbishop of Douala Samuel Kleda, one of President Biya's biggest critics within Cameroon's Catholic clergy, expressed hope that the Pope's visit might help resolve some of the country's problems: "Our country has gone through many crises; some crises are still ongoing. The fruit we must draw from this visit is to commit ourselves as architects of peace." Pope Leo XIV will conclude his visit to Cameroon with a Saturday morning mass before traveling to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Source: www.dw.com