Day Ten in Africa: Dancing in the rain in Bata

Pope Leo’s last full day in Africa came to a poetic end on Wednesday night, as a stadium full of young people sang and danced under an intense tropical rainstorm.

Tens of thousands had gathered in a football stadium in Bata, Equatorial Guinea’s largest city, for the Pope’s meeting with young people and families. Then the heavens opened.

While some ran for cover under the stadium’s roof, others stayed under the torrential rain, dancing together in a large group as they waited for the Pope’s arrival.

The atmosphere in the stadium – already electric – reached fever pitch when Leo appeared. Huge cheers went up not only for the Pope, but also for the locals who came up on stage with him to share stories of their faith and perform traditional dances.

In his speech, the Pope told those gathered that “the brightest light here is the one that shines in your eyes, on your faces, in your smiles and through your songs.” He encouraged his listeners to “always set an example of harmony among yourselves,” and demonstrate through their actions that “the greatest joys, in every situation, come from knowing how to give.”