The people invited to cultivate the virtue of sharing and solidarity.
During a pontifical Mass, Pope Leo urged youths to rise against violence and false promises.
The personal representative of the Head of State and Minister of Territorial Administration, Atanga Nji Paul, was at a pontifical Holy Mass officiated by Pope Leo XIV at the Japoma Stadium in Douala on April 17, 2026.
The minister first received the Pope upon his arrival in Douala, where other religious, administrative, traditional, civil and political leaders were present.
In his message, Pope Leo told the people to cultivate the virtue of sharing and solidarity. He encouraged youths not to give in to distrust and discouragement, but “to reject every form of abuse or violence that promises easy gain but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive.”
By warning against the misleading promises of quick gains, the Pope highlighted a mechanism of alienation that particularly affects young people.
The Archbishop of Douala, His Grace Samuel Kleda, expressed gratitude that the Pope is a messenger of peace and justice in the face of numerous crises.
Hundreds of persons attended the Mass, with the choir of the day amounting to eight hundred choristers.
As soon as the Mass ended at Japoma Stadium, the Pope went to the Bassa neighborhood until he reached the Saint Paul Catholic Hospital, Douala, founded in 1971 by the Sister Servants of Mary and managed by the Archdiocese of Douala.
Pope Leo toured the wards of this center dedicated to the most vulnerable. After praying the Lord’s Prayer together, the Pope had the opportunity to visit the rooms where some patients were being treated.
Accompanied by the director, the Pope visited several patients in their rooms. He spoke with them, listened, blessed them, and offered comfort.
The presence of the Successor of Peter thus touched the wounds of war and the wounds of the body; it soothed deep traumas and brought healing to both soul and body.
A moment of prayer was held in the hospital chapel. Leo XIV took the time to warmly greet the medical staff and patients.
By visiting the sick, the Pope transformed this stopover into a true sign of consolation.
Before leaving, the Holy Father gave his blessing to the families and patients, leaving behind a message of peace and resilience for Cameroon’s economic capital.
Friday, the third day of the Pope’s visit to Cameroon, reassured the country of renewed hope and a shared path toward peace and unity.
Mildred Ndum Wung
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