Pope Leo XIV concluded his visit to Cameroon this Saturday, April 18, 2026, by celebrating a mass at the 101 Air Base in Yaoundé. This final stop of his journey brought together thousands of faithful and the country's authorities, marking the end of an intense pastoral tour across the country.
The celebration, which began around 10 a.m., took place in the presence of the presidential couple, Paul and Chantal Biya, as well as many Catholic Christians. Some faithful, eager not to miss this event, had even spent the night around the air base, while others flocked from the early hours of the morning. A reinforced security system was put in place to supervise the arrival of the participants.
This mass in Yaoundé follows the previous stages of the papal visit to Bamenda and Douala, where the sovereign pontiff also met enthusiastic crowds. In Douala, more than 120,000 people attended the mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at the Japoma Stadium. During this stage, the Pope spoke of the food crisis and poverty affecting a large part of the Cameroonian population.
During his stay in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV met with President Paul Biya, 93, who has been in power since 1982. He took this opportunity to call for breaking the “chains of corruption” and stressed that youth represent the future and hope of the country. In Bamenda, he denounced the “tyrants” who ravage the planet with war and exploitation, and called for peace in this region plagued by a separatist conflict.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to Cameroon is part of a broader African tour, which also took him to Algeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. This apostolic journey was seen as a sign of encouragement for local Catholic communities and as an opportunity to promote dialogue and peace in the region. The Mass in Yaoundé marked the end of a papal visit rich in emotions and messages of hope for Cameroon.
During his homily in Bamenda, Pope Leo XIV described himself as a “pilgrim of peace and unity,” emphasizing his closeness to the suffering of the people. He stressed the need to transform the history of the country and rebuild national unity.
