Photo ©: Vatican Media
(ANS – Yaoundé) – The third day of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Africa saw him travel from Algeria to Cameroon, the second of four countries on his apostolic journey to the continent. Upon arriving in the capital, Yaoundé, the Holy Father met with political and institutional leaders, visited an orphanage, and held a private meeting with local bishops.
On the morning of April 15, before his departure, the Pontiff took leave of the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria and visited the Notre Dame d’Afrique nursery school, run by the Missionaries of Charity. His flight to Yaoundé departed from Houari Boumédiène International Airport at 10:16 a.m.
Upon arrival at Yaoundé-Nsimalen Airport, Leo XIV was welcomed by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt, in accordance with the official welcome ceremony.
He then proceeded to the Presidential Palace, decorated with yellow and white flowers—the colors of the Vatican—where he first held a private meeting with President Paul Biya. He later met with representatives of government authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. “I come among you as a shepherd and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity, and peace,” the Holy Father began.
He expressed gratitude for the warm welcome in what he described as “Africa in miniature,” referring to Cameroon’s rich diversity of regions, cultures, languages, and traditions. “This diversity,” he said, “is not a weakness; it is a treasure. It is a promise of fraternity and a solid foundation for building lasting peace.”
The Pope addressed many themes, but the central focus was peace and harmony: “My visit,” he said, “expresses the affection of the Successor of Peter for all Cameroonians, as well as the desire to encourage everyone to continue, with enthusiasm and perseverance, in building the common good.”
Leo XIV also acknowledged the “complex trials” facing the country, including tensions and violence affecting regions such as the North-West, South-West, and Far North. For this very reason, he spoke with urgency: “The world thirsts for peace… Enough of wars, with their painful toll of deaths, destruction, and displacement! This cry is an appeal to the will to build authentic peace, placing it above any partisan interest.”
In the evening, Leo XIV visited the Ngul Zamba orphanage, a facility that cares for children and young people between 18 months and 20 years of age—some abandoned by their families, others living with disabilities or coming from difficult circumstances.
There, the Pope told them that God “wishes to show you His tenderness and hold you close to His heart, and I too wish to do so, in His name.”
He listened attentively to their stories—often marked by hardship—and offered a message of hope: “In a world often marked by indifference and selfishness, this home reminds us that we are all guardians of our brothers and sisters, and that in God’s great family, no one is ever a stranger or forgotten, no matter how small.”
Later that evening, the Bishop of Rome traveled to the headquarters of the Cameroonian Bishops’ Conference for a private meeting with the country’s bishops.