By Ayomide Otitoju
Pope Pope Leo XIV has celebrated a massive open-air mass in Douala, Cameroon, drawing more than 120,000 worshippers to a stadium event that marked the highlight of his ongoing Africa tour.
The Vatican said the crowd, many of whom travelled long distances or spent the night at the venue, filled the Japoma Stadium esplanade as the pontiff arrived in a popemobile to cheers, waving “branches of peace” and Vatican flags.
The visit has been marked by the Pope’s increasingly forceful calls for global peace and criticism of political and economic exploitation, alongside a public exchange of words with US President Donald Trump after remarks on the Middle East conflict.
Addressing worshippers in French, Leo urged Cameroonians to become “protagonists of the future” and reject all forms of violence and abuse, while earlier warning in Bamenda against leaders who manipulate religion for political and military gain.
During his homily, the Pope also criticised the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources, calling for greater justice in the management of wealth in countries rich in oil, timber, cocoa, and minerals.
The Cameroon leg of the 11-day tour has drawn both admiration and concern, with large crowds celebrating the pontiff’s message of peace, while some critics caution that the visit could be used to bolster the image of long-serving President Paul Biya.
Tensions in the country remain high following post-election unrest and a crackdown on protests in Douala, where authorities acknowledged dozens of deaths after demonstrations over the disputed October election.
After the mass, Pope Leo was scheduled to visit Saint Paul’s Catholic Hospital before travelling to Yaoundé to meet students and academics as part of his broader 18,000-kilometre African tour, which will also take him to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
