Pope Leo XIV Calls on Angola to Mend War Divisions in Events Attracting 130,000

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, visited Angola as the third stop on his four-country African tour. On Sunday, he led a Mass in Kilamba outside Luanda and a prayer at the Muxima shrine, sites linked to Angola’s painful past, with around 130,000 faithful attending despite the heat.

Describing Angola as a ‘beautiful yet wounded country’ scarred by a 27-year civil war ending in 2002, the pope called for unity. ‘Build together a country where old divisions are overcome once and for all, where hatred and violence disappear,’ he implored during the Mass.

The Muxima shrine, part of a 16th-century fortress central to the transatlantic slave trade that shipped millions from Angola, saw crowds dancing and singing as Leo arrived by golf cart. He emphasized love over war, stating, ‘It is love that must triumph, not war!’

At the Mass’s close, Leo decried the intensifying Ukraine conflict, urging weapons to silence and dialogue to prevail. He hailed the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as a ‘reason for hope.’

Angola, a top sub-Saharan oil producer, grapples with deep poverty—over 30% of its 36.6 million people live below $2.15 daily—despite its resources. More than half the population is Catholic.

The day before, Leo had sharply criticized ‘despots and tyrants’ exploiting Africa’s riches without benefiting citizens, urging leaders to prioritize people over corporations.

Local attendees like Sister Christina Matende and Anielka Caliata expressed joy and hope, seeing the pope’s words as a catalyst for reflection and peace.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)