After kicking off his apostolic journey to the African Continent in Algeria, Pope Leo XIV’s lands in Cameroon on Wednesday, April 15, beginning the second leg of his pilgrimage that will take him also to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho Pope Leo XIV’s landed at the Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport near Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, at 2:57 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 15, marking the beginning of the second leg of his Apostolic Journey. He departed this morning from Algeria – the first country in his itinerary – having arrived on Monday, April 13. The Pope will be in Cameroon until Saturday, April 18, and then will travel to Angola and Equatorial Guinea before returning to Rome on Thursday, April 23. Pope Leo XIV was welcomed to the country by the Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute. Two children also greeted him. Then different anthems were played and the various members of the delegations of the two states were presented. Following the welcome ceremony, the Pope had a brief meeting with the Prime Minister. The Pope’s first day in Cameroon The Pope first stop in Cameroon is at the Presidential Palace, where he will meet privately with the President of the Republic, Paul Barthélemy Biya, before addressing the authorities, civil society and diplomatic corps of the country. Pope Leo will then visit the Ngul Zamba Orphanage, where he will greet the residents and staff. Then, for his last appointment of the day, he will meet privately with the Cameroonian Bishops at the headquarters of the Episcopal Conference.