The Apostolic Nunciature in Cameroon issued a statement on March 16, 2026, warning Catholic faithful about a network selling illegal tickets for the Eucharistic celebrations presided over by Pope Leo XIV during his visit to the country. The Nunciature insists that access to all ceremonies will be entirely free, denouncing fraudulent activities aimed at profiting from the event.
The Apostolic Nuncio emphasizes that no sale of tickets or seats is authorized to attend the papal celebrations scheduled in Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala from April 15 to 18, 2026. He calls for vigilance against these scam attempts and invites the faithful to focus on the spiritual preparation for this papal visit, presented as a historic event for Cameroon.
This visit by Pope Leo XIV is the third by a sovereign pontiff to Cameroon, after those of John Paul II in 1985 and 1995, and Benedict XVI in 2009. It comes amid persistent political and security tensions in the country. The Pope is expected to address the Anglophone crisis and attacks by jihadist groups. His presence is seen as a potential call for peace and reconciliation.
Preparations for the papal visit are ongoing, particularly in Bamenda, where renovation work is underway at Bafut airport and on the road leading to St. Joseph's Cathedral, the planned site for a papal mass. The Vatican plans to transport a delegation of around 120 journalists to cover the event.
Pope Leo XIV's visit to Cameroon is part of an African tour that will also take him to Algeria, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. The detailed program of the visit to Cameroon is expected to be published soon.
