Pope Leo arrived in Cameroon on Wednesday as part of his ambitious 10-day journey across four African nations, where he plans to advocate for peace amid ongoing tensions in the country’s English-speaking territories.
The 70-year-old pontiff, who hails from Chicago, continues to face harsh criticism from President Donald Trump following his vocal opposition to the Iran conflict. Trump recently labeled the pope “terrible” on social media platforms and has maintained his attacks despite widespread criticism from American Christians of all political backgrounds.
The papal aircraft touched down in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital city, at approximately 3:20 p.m. local time after departing from Algeria earlier that morning. Leo’s schedule includes meetings with President Paul Biya and addresses to the nation’s leadership.
Cameroon, once under German colonial rule before being split between British and French control following World War One, has experienced significant unrest over the past ten years. Thousands have perished in clashes between government troops and separatist movements operating in the two regions where English is predominantly spoken.
In a gesture of goodwill, a separatist coalition announced Monday it would implement a three-day “safe travel passage” allowing civilians and visitors unrestricted movement during the papal visit.
Leo assumed leadership of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in May following the passing of Pope Francis. While maintaining a reserved public presence during his initial ten months in office, he has recently become increasingly vocal on various global issues and emerged as a strong opponent of the U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran.
When speaking with Reuters on Monday, the pope indicated his intention to continue condemning the war despite Trump’s public criticisms.
The extensive African tour represents one of the most logistically challenging papal journeys organized in recent decades. Leo will cover nearly 18,000 kilometers across 18 separate flights, visiting 11 cities and towns throughout Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.
Thursday’s itinerary includes travel to Bamenda, the largest city in Cameroon’s English-speaking region, where the pope will celebrate Mass and participate in a “meeting for peace” at the local cathedral.
The tour’s most significant event is scheduled for Friday in the coastal city of Douala, where Vatican officials anticipate approximately 600,000 people will attend the papal Mass.
