Pope Leo XIV delivered a pointed appeal for peace and Christian witness during a visit to one of Africa’s most revered Marian shrines on April 19, telling thousands of pilgrims in Angola that “it is love that must triumph, not war”.
The Holy Father made the remarks at the Marian shrine of Mamã Muxima during the Angola leg of his Apostolic Journey to Africa. His visit to Angola followed stops in Algeria and Cameroon, and formed part of an 11-day journey that also includes Equatorial Guinea.
Earlier in the journey, during a meeting with the academic community at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Pope Leo urged young people to resist the temptation to emigrate and instead place their gifts at the service of their own country. He invited them to work for the common good by putting their knowledge at the service of their fellow citizens.
The Pope arrived in Cameroon on April 15, before travelling on to Angola on April 18. In Cameroon he also appealed for peace and urged young Africans to reject violence and corruption.
At Mamã Muxima, where large crowds gathered to pray the Rosary and receive his blessing, the Pope highlighted the importance of Marian devotion and the enduring strength of the local Church. He described the faith of the people as “living and young” and presented the shrine as a place of welcome, prayer and consolation for all.
Pope Leo linked the Easter message of the Resurrection to the practical demands of Christian charity, urging Catholics to translate prayer into concrete action. He pointed to care for the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable, and to the need for food, education, healthcare and dignified living conditions.
He also turned directly to young Catholics, encouraging them to resist violence and corruption and to help build a society rooted in justice, solidarity and moral responsibility. His appeal echoed remarks made earlier in Cameroon, where he urged young people to reject every form of abuse and violence.
The shrine of Mamã Muxima, around 130 kilometres from Luanda, has long held a central place in the spiritual life of Angola and remains one of the country’s most important centres of Marian devotion. The Vatican schedule listed the Rosary there as one of the principal events of the Pope’s day on April 19.
Separately, Pope Leo also warned in Cameroon against distorting religion for violent ends. In Bamenda he condemned those who manipulate religion for military or political purposes, and at Mass there he urged the faithful to keep their eyes fixed on Christ and to obey God rather than human beings.
Concluding his address in Angola, the Pope urged the faithful to leave the shrine renewed in faith and ready to bear witness in daily life.
