Aboard the papal plane – Pope Leo XIV arrived in Angola on April 18 after a two-and-a-half-hour flight from Cameroon, using the short visit to dismiss suggestions that his recent comments about the war were aimed at US President Donald Trump, reflecting the pastoral focus of his African trip.
In a brief press conference with reporters on the flight, the Pope addressed the interpretation of some of his recent speeches as a response to criticism from Trump, who has accused him of weakness in foreign policy.
The Pope said, “There is a certain narrative here that is not accurate in all its aspects, but because of the political situation that arose at the time when the President of the United States made certain comments about me on the first day of the visit.”
“Most of what has been written since then is more commentary on commentary, attempts to explain what has been said.”
He pointed specifically to his address at an April 16 prayer meeting for peace in Cameroon.
He said, “Just a small example, the speech I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a few days ago was prepared two weeks ago, long before the President had commented about me and the message of peace I was promoting.”
“And yet, as it happens, it was viewed as if I was trying to argue with the president again, which is not in my best interest at all.”
Leo XIV said he intended to continue preaching the gospel and promoting peace.
“So we go on the journey, we continue to preach the gospel message,” he said.
He said the liturgy during the visit has highlighted what it means to follow Christ, foster brotherhood and seek justice and peace.
The Pope also said the broader African journey has been shaped by themes that emerged at the beginning of the trip in Algeria, particularly the image of St. Augustine.
“I was personally very pleased, as you know, we started the trip in Algeria with the theme of St. Augustine, and yesterday at the Catholic University, we were blessed with the beautiful monument that they designed with a map of Africa and St. Augustine in the center,” he said.
“And so in a sense, it expresses what this trip is about.”
Leo XIV emphasized that his primary objective in Africa was to support Catholics.
“And I have come to Africa primarily as priest, as head of the Catholic Church, to be with all Catholics throughout Africa, to celebrate, encourage and accompany them.”
He also mentioned a meeting with imams in Cameroon and described it in general terms as part of the Church’s continuing commitment to interreligious dialogue, understanding and peace-building.
He concluded his keynote remarks by thanking the journalists for their work and expressing hope that God would continue to bless the journey.
Responding later to a French journalist, Leo XIV expressed his gratitude for the welcome he had received in Cameroon.
“I want to thank everyone in Cameroon for the wonderful welcome, the tremendous enthusiasm and happiness of the people,” he said.
“It was an absolutely wonderful experience…how wonderful it is to experience what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and celebrate our faith together.”
The Pope’s flight took him from Yaoundé to Luanda, crossing Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Angola is the third and final stop on his African tour.
The Catholic Church has a long-term relationship with Angola. Formal relations go back centuries, including the appointment of Antonio Manuel Nyunda as the first ambassador to Rome from the then Kingdom of Kongo in 1608.
Most recently, in 2019, the Holy See and Angola signed an agreement recognizing the legal personality of the Catholic Church and defining its property rights.
this story was first published By ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian language partner service. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
