ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT, April 15 — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon on Wednesday for the second leg of a 10-day African tour, where he is expected to call for peace in the country’s conflict-affected English-speaking regions.
The pontiff departed from Algeria earlier in the day after delivering remarks condemning violations of international law by what he described as “neocolonial” powers. He was scheduled to land in the capital, Yaounde, before meeting President Paul Biya and addressing national leaders.
Cameroon, a former German colony later divided between Britain and France after World War I, has faced more than a decade of violence in its anglophone regions. The conflict between government forces and separatist groups has left thousands dead and displaced many more. Ahead of the pope’s visit, a separatist alliance announced a three-day “safe travel passage” to allow civilians and visitors to move freely.
The visit comes as Pope Leo has taken a more vocal stance on global issues, including criticism of the ongoing war involving Iran. His remarks have drawn repeated criticism from Donald Trump, who described the pope as “terrible” on social media and reiterated his stance despite backlash from American Christians across political lines.
In an interview earlier this week, the pope said he would continue speaking out against the conflict regardless of political criticism.
The 70-year-old pontiff, elected last May following the death of Pope Francis, is undertaking one of the most complex papal trips in recent decades. The tour spans nearly 18,000 kilometers, covering 11 cities across four African nations, including Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
On Thursday, Pope Leo is expected to travel to Bamenda, the largest English-speaking city in the country, where he will lead a Mass and participate in a peace gathering at a local cathedral.
The largest event of the trip is scheduled for Friday in Douala, where the Vatican expects up to 600,000 people to attend a Mass, highlighting the significance of the visit in a region seeking stability and reconciliation.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
