Pope Leo drew huge crowds in Douala on Friday as he prepared to lead a major public Mass, a centerpiece of his Cameroon visit during his broader Africa tour as cited by Reuters. Church officials expected hundreds of thousands of worshippers around Japoma Stadium, underlining the scale of the event in Cameroon’s economic capital.

The Douala stop followed a day of sharp remarks from the pontiff in Cameroon, where he criticized war spending, condemned corruption and urged leaders to change course in the face of conflict and inequality .

His comments added political and moral weight to a visit already being closely watched across the continent.

According to the Vatican’s official programme, Pope Leo was also scheduled to visit a Catholic hospital in Douala before returning to Yaounde for later engagements, giving the Cameroon leg of the trip both a public and pastoral focus cited by Vatican News.

That structure has reinforced the trip’s message of peace, service and solidarity at a time of regional and global tension.

Crowds lining the roads and gathering near the stadium reflected strong public enthusiasm for the visit. In Cameroon, where the Church remains an influential moral voice, the pope’s presence has become both a spiritual moment and a reminder of the country’s wider challenges, including insecurity, inequality and political strain.

Source: Reuters