Pope Leo XIV continues his African tour in Angola, amidst popular fervor and social challenges

Pope Leo XIV begins the next leg of his African tour on Saturday with a visit to Angola, following a notable stop in Cameroon. Expected in Luanda in the afternoon, the pontiff is scheduled to deliver a speech to the authorities before continuing his busy program in this southern African country marked by profound inequalities.

Before his arrival, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to conclude his three-day visit to Cameroon with an open-air mass in Yaoundé. Having received enthusiastic welcomes during his initial stops, he is expected to draw large crowds again in Angola, where nearly 44% of the population identifies as Catholic.

The third pope to visit the country after John Paul II and Benedict XVI, Leo XIV followed in a long-standing diplomatic and spiritual tradition, in a nation where, despite its significant oil resources, a large portion of the population still lives below the poverty line. The country also remains marked by the aftereffects of a long civil war that ended in 2002.

In recent days, the Pope has adopted a more assertive tone, denouncing in particular social injustices and the economic exploitation of the African continent. During his visit to Cameroon, he criticized "those who, in the name of profit, continue to seize the African continent to exploit it," while also warning against the dangers associated with artificial intelligence.

In Angola, his visit comes at a difficult time, marked by recent natural disasters, social tensions related to the cost of living, and recurring criticism of corruption. Nevertheless, the authorities have made extensive preparations for the event, including modernized infrastructure and a significant mobilization of resources in the capital.

The Pope's program includes a meeting with President João Lourenço, a giant mass on the outskirts of Luanda, and a visit to Muxima, a major regional pilgrimage site. He is then scheduled to travel to Saurimo before continuing his tour in Equatorial Guinea, the final leg of an African journey of nearly 18,000 kilometers.