Photo: Vatican Media

(ANS – Bamenda) – After leaving Yaoundé, Pope Leo XIV traveled to Bamenda, also in Cameroon, where he was welcomed by a large and jubilant crowd. This northwestern region has long been marked by tensions and violence—a crisis largely forgotten by the world—which over the past decade has resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Yet the faithful celebrated the Pontiff’s arrival with songs, dances, lively music, and banners hailing Leo as a “messenger of peace.”

It was peace that the Pope spoke about during the gathering at St. Joseph’s Cathedral—a deeply moving moment marked by music and, above all, the enthusiasm of the faithful, many still amazed that Leo XIV chose Bamenda as a stop on his journey through Cameroon. The turnout was overwhelming. Seated in brightly colored sections were all parts of a society marked by poverty and destruction: representatives of Protestant communities, members of the Islamic faith, priests, religious, catechists, and the faithful from different linguistic groups. They listened in an atmosphere of brotherhood, strengthened by the truce declared by separatist groups during the Pope’s visit. It was a tangible sign of the need and desire for words of consolation and peace in what Leo described as a “troubled region”—a community burdened by suffering but never abandoned by God, and capable of beginning anew.

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Persecution and suffering make no distinction between faiths, races, languages, or cultures; all are affected and in need of psychological and spiritual healing. This was evident in the testimonies presented to the Pope, who praised the work of the Peace Movement led by Christian and Muslim communities seeking to mediate between opposing sides. Despite attempts to exploit religion, they continue to carry a message of peace to the world.

“Blessed are the peacemakers! Woe, however, to those who manipulate religions and the very name of God for military, economic, or political gain, dragging what is sacred into the darkest depths. Yes, dear brothers and sisters—you who hunger and thirst for justice, who are poor, merciful, meek, and pure of heart, you who have wept—you are the light of the world!”

The Warlords

The mission to be “oil poured upon human wounds” is entrusted, Leo XIV said, especially to the poor, urging them never to lose their identity but to remain “the salt that gives flavor to the earth,” treasuring what has been shared “in times of sorrow.”

He also spoke of the “immense task” of supporting victims of violence, addressing in particular women—both lay and religious—who carry out this work of accompaniment despite the risks, in a land where “the lords of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild.”

“They pretend not to see that billions of dollars are spent to kill and devastate, while the resources needed to heal, educate, and rebuild cannot be found. Those who exploit your land’s resources often invest much of the profit in weapons, fueling a spiral of instability and endless death.”

The Call for Unity

All of Bamenda, wounded but hopeful, looks to the Pope as a voice calling for an end to the conflict and a return to lasting peace. Leo XIV emphasized the need for a change of direction: this is the moment for a “U-turn,” an opportunity for “every honest conscience” to denounce and reject violence, choosing instead the path of sustainability and human fraternity.

He called for unity, urging people to look one another in the eye with the awareness that they are “immense” in the face of a world “destroyed by a few rulers” but sustained “by countless brothers and sisters in solidarity.”

“Peace is not something to be invented,” he said. “It is something to be embraced—by accepting our neighbor as a brother and sister. No one chooses their brothers and sisters; we must simply accept one another. We are one family, living in the same home—this wonderful planet, cared for by ancient cultures over millennia.”

A Silent Revolution

As he departed Bamenda, Pope Leo XIV entrusted its people with the task of reconciliation, encouraging them to serve peace together, “each according to their own vocation.” The communities, who see in him a messenger of reconciliation and promoter of justice, have long borne witness to a “silent revolution”—one that, despite immense challenges, has so far prevented the crisis from escalating into full-scale war.

The Flight of the Doves

In the courtyard of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, at the conclusion of the peace gathering, the Pope reaffirmed: “The Lord has chosen us all to be workers of peace in this land!” He then invited everyone to pray: “As we release these white doves, symbols of peace, may God’s peace descend upon us all, upon this land, and keep us united in His peace.”

Source: Vatican News