Pope Leo to receive rock star welcome during landmark Africa visit

WorldPolitics
17 Apr 2026 • 6:01 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Pope Leo to receive rock star welcome during landmark Africa visit

  • Pope Leo XIV is at the halfway point of his four-nation African tour, dedicating his time in Cameroon to inspiring the nation's youth.
  • His schedule in Cameroon included celebrating a major Mass in Douala, which was anticipated to draw 600,000 attendees, and visiting a local hospital.
  • Later, the pontiff was scheduled to meet with students, professors, and administrators at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Youande.
  • Pope Leo has previously urged Cameroon's President Paul Biya to address corruption and highlighted the country's youth as its future, despite the tension between young people and aging leaders.
  • He warned that persistent unemployment and social exclusion could lead to violence, stressing the importance of investing in youth education, training, and entrepreneurship to foster peace and curb brain drain.

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