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Approximately 120,000 enthusiastic Catholics participated in Pope Leo XIV’s Friday service in Cameroon. The leader of the Church urged the attendees to become builders of peace and to refuse the lies of violence and mistreatment.

Pope Leo XIV, addressing a jubilant gathering of over 120,000 people at a Friday outdoor mass in the Cameroonian coastal city of Douala, carried on hisforceful message of peaceon the second part of his 11-day Africa visit.

The pope, who was born in the United States, encouraged those who had come from distant places to listen to him: “Do not succumb to suspicion and despair. Refuse all types of abuse or violence, which promise quick profits but dull the heart and make it unfeeling.”

In his Friday sermon, given in French, Leo encouraged Cameroonian people to become “actors of the future.”

Leo has recently been in the spotlight due to criticisms from US President Donald Trump and his Vice President JD Vance — both of whom have openly criticized the leader of the Roman Catholic Church after Leo denounced the foolishness of war and those who try to use God to justify violence.

On Friday, as attendees waved Vatican flags and “branches of peace,” Leo addressed issues of conflict and greed in Africa, stating that people “long for peace, freedom, and justice.”

Leo was planned to go to a Catholic hospital in Douala on Friday afternoon, then head back to the capital Yaounde to speak with university students and faculty members.

Pope Leo criticizes the exploitation of African resources and misuse of authority

Cameroon, abundant in mineral resources, has consistently drawn foreign companies and local elites. On Thursday, Leo condemned “those who, under the guise of profit, keep seizing control of the African continent to exploit and pillage it.”

He also called on Cameroon’s officials to eliminate corruption along with violations committed under the pretext of upholding public order, in statements made on Wednesday.

Those specific words were notable because they were spoken in the presence of President Paul Biya — a 93-year-old leader whohas governed Cameroon with a strict and unyielding hand since 1982.

The pope informed government officials that security is essential, but it should always be implemented while respecting human rights.

The forces of Biya suppressed violentlydemonstrations against his reelection last October, killing dozens.

Pope Leo extends his hand to young Catholic individuals from Africa

Africa is becoming increasingly significant for the Roman Catholic Church, as there are now approximately 290 million Catholics in the region, representing 20.3% of the Church’s total membership of 1.4 billion.

In Cameroon, Leo’s words of encouragement were aimed atthe nation’s youth, who experience widespread joblessness as the nation grapples with internal strife and established authority.

Earlier in the week, for example, Leo organized an interfaith peace meeting in the city of Bamenda — the heart of a separatist conflict that has lasted almost ten years and resulted in numerous fatalities.

One of the most prominent critics of President Biya among Cameroon’s Catholic clergy, Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala, voiced optimism that Leo’s visit could contribute to addressing some of the nation’s challenges.

“Our nation has experienced numerous challenges; certain issues remain unresolved. The lesson we should take from this visit is to dedicate ourselves as builders of peace,” Archbishop Kleda stated.

Leo will end his trip to Cameroon with a mass on Saturday morning.

Following his visit to Muslim-majority Algeria, the pope will proceed to Cameroon, then go to Angola and subsequently Equatorial Guinea before returning to Rome.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

Writer: Jon Shelton (with AFP, Reuters)