Pope Leo XIV in Bamenda calls for peace, condemns the misuse of religion, and urges global leaders to reject war profiteering.
Newsroom (16/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a poignant address marking his second day in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV arrived in the northwestern city of Bamenda to deliver a powerful message against the manipulation of faith for military and political gain. Standing before a diverse assembly of religious and traditional leaders, the Holy Father denounced what he called “the masters of war” who spend billions on weapons yet “dedicate nothing to helping people heal.”
The papal visit came during a fragile pause in Cameroon’s ongoing violence between separatist forces and the government. Bamenda, an English-speaking city long at the center of the unrest, became the stage for the Pope’s Meeting of Peace, hosted at St. Joseph Cathedral—the spiritual heart of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. Welcomed by Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya, Pope Leo began the gathering with prayer in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament before entering the cathedral to meet with the community.
The atmosphere inside was solemn but hopeful. Testimonies flowed from the Supreme Traditional Chief of Mankon, Fon Fru Asaah Angwafor IV; Presbyterian Church leader Fonki Samuel Forba; Imam Mohammad Abubakar of Buea’s Central Mosque; Sister Carine Tangiri Mangu of the Sisters of St. Anne; and Denis Salo, representing a displaced family forced from their home. Their words painted a vivid portrait of resilience, unity, and faith amid suffering.
“Here to proclaim peace”
Responding to these witnessings of endurance, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the prophetic words of Isaiah—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace”—and likened them to the people of Bamenda, whose “feet are dusty from this bloodstained yet fertile land.” He praised their perseverance and spirituality: “You have remained on the path of goodness, teaching others what it means to proclaim peace.”
The Pope’s message carried a dual tone of recognition and commission. “I am here to proclaim peace,” he declared, “but you, the people of Bamenda, are already proclaiming it to me.” The Holy Father thanked the community for its witness of hope and faith, calling Bamenda “a city on the hill, resplendent in the eyes of all.”
A model of unity
Pope Leo noted that the current crisis has paradoxically created new bridges between Cameroon’s Christian and Muslim communities. Religious leaders, he observed, have come together to launch a Movement for Peace seeking dialogue and mediation between opposing sides. “Your unity is a testimony to the world,” the Pope said, expressing hope that similar cooperation might flourish in other regions torn by violence.
However, his tone shifted as he issued a stark warning: “Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for military, economic, or political gain.” He condemned how sacred values are twisted “into darkness and filth,” fueling conflicts and exploitation. In his words, Bamenda’s suffering people—hungering and thirsting for justice—embody the light of the world, “shining even in despair.”
“It only takes a moment to destroy”
Pope Leo XIV extended his gratitude to lay and religious women who care for victims of trauma—work he described as difficult, courageous, and often invisible. He lamented the hypocrisy of global powers who spend “billions to kill and devastate,” while neglecting to invest in healing, education, and restoration. “It only takes a moment to destroy,” he warned, “yet a lifetime is not enough to rebuild.”
Drawing attention to the exploitation of African resources, the Pope condemned the pattern of wealth extracted from the continent only to fund cycles of warfare and destabilization. “We live in an upside-down world,” he said, urging a “decisive change of course—a conversion of the heart—toward a sustainable path of human fraternity.”
A call to fraternity and hope
Quoting Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Leo reminded the faithful that his mission—like Francis’s—is to “be in the heart of the people.” Peace, he explained, is not an invention but a revelation discovered in the embrace of one’s neighbor. “Family is not something we choose,” he said, “but the people given to us as we live together in our common home.”
As the meeting drew to a close, he echoed the Imam’s earlier words, thanking God that Cameroon’s crisis had not devolved into a religious war. Instead, it stood as a testament to interfaith collaboration and the enduring hope that love can survive conflict. “Let us be part of the silent revolution,” he urged, “walking together in our vocations to love our neighbors.”
In Bamenda’s cathedral, amid hymns and prayers, Pope Leo XIV’s voice carried over the crowd—a call not for ambition or conquest, but for peace born from suffering, faith, and fraternity.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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