Pope Leo XIV strongly denounced exploitation and corruption by the wealthy and powerful on Monday, during a visit to Angola’s diamond-rich northeast—a recurring message throughout his 11-day African tour.
On the eighth day of his journey across four African countries, the American pontiff traveled to Saurimo, located roughly 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Luanda, the capital. Braving tropical heat and escorted by tight security, Pope Leo was greeted by hundreds of jubilant locals in vibrant attire, singing and waving white scarves along his route through the city of 200,000.
Saurimo serves as the capital of Lunda Sul province, a region historically marginalized and situated near Catoca, Angola’s largest diamond mine, responsible for producing about 75% of the nation’s diamonds.
Despite being one of Africa’s leading producers of crude oil and diamonds, about a third of Angola’s population lives below the World Bank’s poverty line.
“Today, we witness the hopes of many being crushed by violence, exploited by the powerful, and defrauded by the rich,” Pope Leo said in Portuguese during a massive outdoor Mass. When injustice corrupts hearts, the bread belonging to all becomes the possession of a few.
Authorities estimated that around 40,000 people attended the Mass, with another 20,000 participating from nearby areas.
Earlier in his trip, the pope condemned tyranny and exploitation in Algeria and Cameroon, signaling a firmer stance compared to his previously more reserved tone.
Upon arriving in Saurimo on Monday, Pope Leo visited a home for approximately 60 elderly people, many of whom had been abandoned by their families or subjected to violence. Your presence in this home is a blessing from God, 72-year-old Antonio Joaquin told him.
Lunda Sul, though rich in minerals, remains deeply impoverished, with mining operations blamed for environmental harm and the displacement of local communities. On Saturday, during his first day in Angola, Pope Leo decried the devastation caused by unchecked resource extraction. How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are the result of this logic of exploitation?” he asked government officials, including President Joao Lourenco.
The pope is also scheduled to meet with clergy in Luanda to discuss the challenges facing the Church in Angola, such as limited resources and the rise of evangelical movements.
Leo is the third pope to visit Angola, after John Paul II in 1992 and Benedict XVI in 2009. The country endured a brutal 27-year civil war following its independence from Portugal in 1975.
At a Mass on Sunday attended by 100,000 people, the 70-year-old pontiff urged Angolans to move beyond past divisions and build a future where “the scourge of corruption is healed by a new culture of justice and sharing.
According to a 2024 census, about 44% of Angola’s 15 million citizens identify as Catholic.
On Tuesday, Pope Leo is expected to travel to Equatorial Guinea, concluding his 18,000-kilometer, 11-day journey across Africa.
Source: AFP
