Pope Leo XIV’s pilgrimage to four African nations highlights the strength of peoples long burdened by the yoke of colonialism and calls us to take part in building a more just, fraternal, and compassionate present and future.
By Massimiliano Menichetti The Pope’s journey in Africa calls us to open our eyes and renew our hearts, urging us to act so that humanity may show a truer face. These days, thousands of people wait for and accompany the Holy Father, gathering along dusty red-earth roads and city streets. Often, behind the barriers, there are homes with tin roofs and buildings that are worn and fragile; yet people’s eyes are filled with joy, and smiles appear as soon as a glance meets a greeting. Many wait for hours just to catch sight of the Pope’s car or the convoy that accompanies him, hoping for a photo or a lasting memory. They sing, dance, wave flags and branches, and raise their hands high. This visit is a journey into the wounds and hopes of peoples often overlooked, but it is also an invitation to everyone: to change perspective, not to look away, and to build bonds of fraternity and genuine relationships without giving in to fear or resignation. The Africa that Pope Leo encounters shows remarkable vitality and energy, along with a vast capacity for the future. At the same time, the weight of ongoing forms of colonial influence remains clear, as global forces continue to limit and control this potential. In places where resources are extracted, land is damaged by toxic waste, and conflicts, divisions, and corruption are fueled, what is taken by political and economic powers is not only wealth, but the present and future of entire generations. On a planet marked by war and violence, the Successor of Peter instead works to build bridges, encouraging encounter, reconciliation, awareness, unity, and peace. This is evident, for example, in the northwestern Cameroonian city of Bamenda, which has been reconnected to the rest of the country during the visit. Due to violence linked to the separatist crisis—causing thousands of displaced people and many deaths—roads had largely disappeared, and the airport had been unusable for eight years. The Pope’s arrival has helped restart not only physical reconstruction, but also a renewal of hope. Through his journey, the Pope also highlights the distinct realities of the nations he is visiting, challenging the tendency to treat Africa as a single entity rather than a diverse continent. He points to unity within diversity and to the shared dignity of the human family, in which every person is a child of God. He shows the richness of the Church’s many voices, called to share the message of the Gospel, which, when lived, fosters creativity and helps build societies that are more just, fraternal, and supportive. The Pope calls for shared responsibility and, from Africa, speaks to the entire world. He raises a fundamental question that invites each of us to move toward others: to meet them, forgive them, support them, and walk together, taking responsibility for building a common future. In a world often shaped by division, pride, and threats, the Holy Father presents the face of Christ, who calls each person to change by living out that commitment in daily life. Through this journey, Leo is helping to reconnect humanity, restoring to peoples the dignity and freedom to grow and develop, and challenging claims of domination and control.