On the Pope’s flight – Pope Leo XIV arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday after a nearly 2 1/2-hour flight from Luanda, Angola, beginning the final leg of his trip to Africa.
Speaking in Italian to journalists aboard the papal flight, Leo marked the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ death with an extended remembrance of his predecessor, highlighting his testimony, his closeness to the poor and the suffering, and his appeals for mercy and fraternity.
Leo said, “I would like to remember on the first anniversary of his death Pope Francis, who gave and offered so much to the Church through his life, his witness, his words and his actions.”
The Pope said Francis gave much to the Church by the example of his “closeness to the poor, the smallest, the sick, the children and the elderly” and his life and preaching.
Leo pointed to Francis’ emphasis on universal brotherhood, saying he wanted to promote authentic respect for every man and woman and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood rooted in the Gospel.
He also recalled Francis’ message of mercy, from his first Angelus to the March 17, 2013 Mass, before his formal inauguration as Pope, when he preached on a woman caught in adultery and spoke “from the heart” about God’s mercy.
Leo said Francis shared God’s message of love, forgiveness and mercy with the entire Church and pointed in particular to the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as part of that legacy.
Leo said, “Let us pray that he is already enjoying the Lord’s mercy, and let us thank the Lord for the great gift of Francis’ life to the whole Church and to the whole world.”
Leo then asked reporters questions about the Church of Angola, where he had recently completed a visit.
Asked about cooperation between church and state, the Pope said that both can work together for the good of people while maintaining separate roles. He said he discussed health care and education with the President of Angola, including improving public services and expanding hospitals and other institutions.
He said the Church also has a duty to protect the rights of all people through its testimony and preaching.
Asked whether Angola might one day get a cardinal, Leo said no decision had been made on the creation of a new cardinal and that the issue would have to be considered in a broader global context. Nevertheless he said that such a possibility can be considered in the future.
On the question of whether new dioceses could be established in Angola, Leo said the growth of the Church there was encouraging and underlined the need for continued evangelization. He said local bishops, working with the apostolic nuncio, can help determine where new dioceses may be needed so clergy can be closer to the faithful.
Equatorial Guinea is the last stop on Leo’s Africa tour, which also includes Algeria, Cameroon and Angola.
His first scheduled event in the country was to address the President and civil officials at the Presidential Palace. He is also set to visit the university campus named after him, where he will address representatives of the cultural world, as well as the Jean-Pierre Ollie psychiatric hospital and the country’s bishops.
On April 22, Leo is due to travel to Mongomo to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and visit the Pope Francis Technological School, named after his predecessor. Later he will visit Bata, the political capital of the country.
In Bata, Leo is expected to visit a prison, pray at a memorial and meet with youth and families for the victims of the March 7, 2021 weapons depot explosion that killed 20 people and injured nearly 500 others.
The Pope is scheduled to end the trip with a final Mass on April 23 before returning to Rome.
this story was first published By ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian language partner service. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
