Pope Leo XIV begins Cameroon visit amid hopes for peace in separatist conflict
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon for a three-day visit, landing in Yaounde shortly before 3:00 pm local time. Thousands of people welcomed him, with some expressing hope that his presence would help end the nearly decade-long separatist conflict. The US-born Pope is scheduled to meet President Paul Biya, who has governed since 1982. This meeting has caused division among Catholics, with some clergy members concerned it might enhance Biya's image following protests against his re-election. The Pope will also visit a Catholic orphanage and hold a private meeting with Cameroonian bishops. On Thursday, under high security, Pope Leo XIV will travel to the conflict zone in the English-speaking region, where separatists are fighting the army. Separatist groups declared a three-day truce starting Wednesday for the visit. He will deliver a speech and celebrate mass in Bamenda, the main city in the conflict area, which has seen over 6,000 deaths by 2024. Archbishop of Bamenda Andrew Nkea hopes the visit will encourage a peaceful resolution. On Friday, Pope Leo XIV will hold a mass in Douala before departing for Angola on Saturday. The Cameroon visit follows a two-day trip to Algeria, where the Pope visited Saint Augustine's birthplace and celebrated mass. His stay in Algeria was marked by two suicide attacks in Blida, though authorities have not commented on the incidents, and an informed source stated they were not presumed related to the Pope's presence. The Pope's first internationa
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