DOUALA, April 17 - Early on Friday large numbers of people were converging in Douala, Cameroon's biggest city and commercial centre, for a Mass expected to be the largest single event of Pope Leo's tour of Africa. The Vatican anticipated around 600,000 people would line the streets around Japoma Stadium to take part in the celebration and hear the pontiff's address.
Cameroonians began arriving at Japoma Stadium on Thursday and remained onsite overnight so they could hear Pope Leo preach in person. A strong security presence accompanied the preparations and crowd movements ahead of the service.
Pope Leo, identified in reports as the first U.S. pope, landed in Douala at about 9:55 a.m. (0855 GMT) after a roughly one-hour helicopter flight from Yaounde, the national capital. His itinerary called for him to spend about four hours in Douala, during which he was due to celebrate Mass and to make a visit to a Catholic hospital before returning to Yaounde.
During his visit to Cameroon the pope has used unusually forceful language in criticising leaders who allocate vast sums to warfare. In remarks made on Thursday in Cameroon, he said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants." He has also spoken out against violations of international law by what he described as "neocolonial" world powers and warned that "the whims of the rich and powerful" pose a threat to peace. His outspokenness has drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump, according to reporting.
Crowds greeting the pope as he has travelled through the country were widely reported as enthusiastic. Residents lined routes and many wore colourful fabrics that included images of the pope's face.
"A moment of great joy," said Bishop Léopold Bayemi Matjei, who leads the Church in Obala, about an hour north of Yaounde, expressing hope that the visit would bring divine blessing to the country. "Our country needs a lot of blessing, a powerful blessing, so that hope will come to rise again," he said.
Cameroon, a country that produces oil and cocoa, faces serious security challenges. Among those is a simmering Anglophone conflict, which reporting says has resulted in thousands of deaths since 2017. Those conditions form the backdrop to the pope's visit and the heavy security measures deployed for the events in Douala.
As the papal motorcade and processions moved through parts of Douala, local reaction was marked by displays of faith and colourful public greetings. The Mass at Japoma Stadium was expected to be the focal point of the pontiff's four-nation tour of Africa.
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