Pope in Bamenda: ‘Woe to those who manipulate religion for military or political gain’

In the midst of a pause in the ongoing violence in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV travelled to Bamenda - an English-speaking city located in the northwestern part of the country - on his second day in Cameroon.

After meeting with local authorities at the airport, the Pope moved to the Cathedral of St. Joseph, which serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. There, he met with the Community of Bamenda for a Meeting of Peace. Starting with a few moments of prayer in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Father and Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda entered the Cathedral.

Welcomed by a hymn and a greeting by the Archbishop, the peace meeting then heard the testimonies of the Supreme Traditional Chief of Mankon, Fon Fru Asaah Angwafor IV; the Emeritus Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Fonki Samuel Forba; the Imam of the Central Mosque of Buea, Mohammad Abubakar; a consecrated religious, Sister Carine Tangiri Mangu, Sister of St. Anne; and a family of internally displaced persons, Denis Salo, his wife, and their three children.