Thousands of people gathered in Cameroon’s north-western city of Bamenda to welcome Pope Leo XIV during a landmark visit that brought renewed global attention to the country’s long-running Anglophone conflict.
Roads into the city were filled with worshippers arriving from across the region, including many families displaced by years of violence. Organisers said tens of thousands attended an open-air Mass held at a local airfield, underscoring the significance of the pope’s presence in one of Cameroon’s most troubled regions.
During his address, Pope Leo XIV called for peace, unity, and reconciliation, urging communities to reject division and embrace dialogue. He also warned against a world “ravaged by a handful of tyrants,” criticizing the use of national resources for weapons instead of human development and social progress.
The visit highlighted the crisis in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, where unrest has continued since 2017. The conflict began after protests over political and economic marginalisation and later escalated into armed clashes between separatist groups and government forces.
