BAMENDA, CAMEROON — Hundreds of faithful poured into the streets of Bamenda on Thursday as Pope Leo XIV arrived in the anglophone city, the latest stop on his four-country apostolic journey across Africa.
The pontiff’s visit to Bamenda, a city at the heart of Cameroon’s long-running separatist conflict, drew emotional scenes of celebration. Local residents expressed overwhelming joy at the rare papal presence in the region.
“We are so overjoyed, so overwhelmed. We have no words but we say thank you, God, for this extraordinary day and for making us be alive to see this day,” one resident told reporters.
Pope Leo XIV’s trip to the English-speaking northwest has raised faint hopes for reconciliation in a region plagued by more than a decade of violence. The conflict, rooted in Cameroon’s complex colonial history, has claimed over 6,500 lives and displaced more than half a million people, according to the International Crisis Group.
After World War I, the former German colony was partitioned between Britain and France. The French-speaking part gained independence in 1960, while the smaller English-speaking territories joined a year later, creating deep linguistic and cultural tensions that escalated into armed secessionist movements in 2016.
During his visit, the Pope held a Meeting for Peace with the local community at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral and celebrated Holy Mass at Bamenda International Airport. In his remarks, he warned against those who “manipulate religion for military or political gain.”
Local leaders and residents noted that even separatist groups appeared supportive of the visit, with some encouraging people to come out and welcome the Holy Father — a development seen by many as a small but significant step toward dialogue.
“I believe the message of peace the pope will deliver to the people of Bamenda will bring a lot of reconciliation,” one community member said. “Even the separatists have expressed that they are pleased that the pope is going to Bamenda.”
The visit comes amid ongoing international attention on the pontiff, including recent public criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump over the Pope’s stance on global conflicts.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to remain in Cameroon until Saturday, April 18, before continuing his African tour to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
The warm reception in Bamenda underscores the deep Catholic faith in the region and the symbolic importance many attach to the Pope’s call for peace and unity in one of Africa’s most protracted internal conflicts.
