Pope Leo XIV tells Angolans Jesus walks beside them, urging faith, unity, and hope amid suffering during Mass in Kilamba, Luanda.
Newsroom (20/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) In the expanding suburb of Kilamba, on the outskirts of Luanda, Pope Leo XIV delivered a deeply resonant message: Jesus is alive, risen, and walking beside the people of Angola.
Celebrating Mass on Sunday, 19 April 2026—his first full day in the country during a wider four-nation African journey—the Pope addressed a nation marked by hardship yet searching for renewal. Before a gathered crowd of faithful, he urged Angolans to remain steadfast in their faith, trust in the Church, and fix their gaze on Christ, encountered in Scripture and the Eucharist.
“I celebrate the Eucharist here among you with a grateful heart,” he began, thanking the faithful for their warm welcome and grounding his message in the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
A Gospel Mirror of a Nation
Drawing from the passage in Luke’s Gospel, the Pope reflected on the sorrow of two disciples leaving Jerusalem after Christ’s death—disillusioned, burdened, and uncertain of the future. Their journey, he suggested, mirrors Angola’s own historical path.
“I see a reflection of the history of Angola,” he said, describing a country “beautiful yet wounded,” shaped by a long civil war and its lingering consequences: division, poverty, and lost opportunity.
Like the disciples, Angola risks becoming trapped in its past—reliving pain without finding a way forward. “They were walking, yet they remained fixated,” he noted, describing a paralysis familiar to societies marked by prolonged suffering.
Christ Walking Beside the Suffering
Yet the Pope’s central message was one of hope. The Good News, he emphasized, is that Christ does not abandon humanity in moments of despair.
“He is alive, he has risen, and he walks beside us,” the Pope said, describing a God who accompanies people through suffering, opens their eyes, and makes renewal possible.
In the Gospel story, recognition comes in a simple but profound act: the breaking of bread. It is there, at the table, that the disciples finally understand they are not alone.
Faith, Discernment, and the Eucharist
For Angolans today, Pope Leo XIV pointed to a similar path—one rooted in prayer, Scripture, and the Eucharist. He emphasized that genuine spiritual renewal requires clarity and fidelity.
He cautioned against forms of traditional religiosity that may blend cultural practices with “magical and superstitious elements” that hinder authentic faith.
“Remain faithful to what the Church teaches,” he urged. “Trust your pastors, and keep your gaze fixed on Jesus.”
The Eucharist, he explained, is not only a ritual but a real encounter with God—one that strengthens believers to overcome the “deaths” that surround them and live as people renewed.
A Call to Rebuild and Reconcile
The Pope’s message extended beyond personal faith to social responsibility. Angola’s ongoing challenges—economic hardship, poverty, and inequality—require a Church that actively walks alongside its people.
He called for a community of believers—bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople—ready to “break” their lives for others, echoing Christ’s self-giving love.
This means fostering forgiveness, building peace, and showing solidarity with those most in need.
“Angola needs” people committed to compassion and fraternity, he said, envisioning a society where divisions are healed, violence ends, and corruption gives way to justice and shared responsibility.
Hope for a New Generation
Particular attention was given to young people, many of whom, he noted, have lost hope. The Pope insisted that a different future is possible—but only through collective transformation grounded in faith.
“Only in this way will a promising future be possible,” he said, describing a vision of a nation rebuilt on unity and moral renewal.
A Future Built on Faith
Closing his homily, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Angolans to look forward without fear.
“The risen Jesus… encourages you to be witnesses of his Resurrection and protagonists of a new humanity and a new society,” he said.
Entrusting the nation to the protection of the Virgin Mary, under the title Our Lady of Muxima, the Pope assured the faithful of his prayers while expressing confidence in their resilience and faith.
In Kilamba, his message was clear: Angola’s past may be marked by suffering, but its future can still be shaped by hope—if its people recognize that they do not walk alone.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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