At a peace gathering in Bamenda’s Cathedral, the pope praised interreligious solidarity and urged a “true conversion” away from war.
BAMENDA, Cameroon — From Bamendaʼs Catholic cathedral on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV urged both Christians and Muslims to heal wounds of conflict in Cameroon.
When Leo arrived at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, on the fourth day of his trip in Africa, he first visited the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for a moment of prayer together with Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda.
During the interreligious peace gathering, Nkea said the popeʼs presence was consoling for the people. The meeting included testimonies from local people, including Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims.
“Holy Father, help us to have peace,” Imam Mohammad Abubakar of the Central Mosque of Buea said after speaking about violent episodes that have taken place in recent years.
“It is a joy for me to be with you in this region that has suffered so greatly. As your testimonies have just demonstrated, the lived experience of suffering by your community has only made stronger your conviction that God has never abandoned us! In God, in his peace, we can always begin anew!” the pope said.
“May we all continue on the path of goodness which leads to peace,” he continued. “I am grateful for your words of welcome, because it is true: I am here to proclaim peace. Yet I find it is you who are proclaiming peace to me, and to the entire world.”
Leo praised the witness of local Muslims and Christians in working for peace and said he wishes “this would happen in so many other places of the world.”
“Jesus told us: Blessed are the peacemakers! But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,” Leo said.
The Holy Father also expressed his gratitude to all the laypeople and religious women who care for those traumatized by violence — a work that is dangerous and unseen.
“The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet a lifetime is often not enough to rebuild,” he said. “We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity.”
“Peace is not something we must invent: It is something we must embrace by accepting our neighbor as our brother and as our sister. We do not choose our brothers and sisters: We simply must accept one another!” he urged.
The pope said: “Let us walk together, in love, searching always for peace.”
Outside of the cathedral at the end of the meeting, Pope Leo, accompanied by representatives of the Bamenda community, released seven doves as a sign of peace.
“My dear brothers and sisters, today the Lord has chosen all of us to be workers who bring peace to this land! Let us all say a prayer to the Lord, that peace will truly reign among us, that as we release these white doves — a symbol of peace — that God’s peace will be upon all of us, upon this land, and keep us all united in his peace. Praise the Lord!” he said.
Follow the Live Updates of Pope Leo’s Trip in Africa available at EWTN News.
Veronica Giacometti contributed to this article. This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
