More than 120,000 worshippers gathered at Douala's Japoma Stadium on Friday for an open-air Mass with Pope Leo XIV, marking the largest crowd yet on his 11-day African tour. The pontiff's visit to Cameroon's economic hub followed a stop in the country's conflict-ridden Anglophone region, where he reinforced his message of peace.
Jubilant crowds welcomed the Pope as he arrived in his Popemobile, with many attendees having camped outside the stadium for over 24 hours to secure prime viewing spots. Despite intense heat, worshippers of all ages—including priests and families—raised their hands in prayer, some using umbrellas and books for shade.
During his address, Pope Leo XIV urged young people to develop their talents and serve their communities, stating:
"Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive. Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society."
Attendees expressed hope that the papal visit would help bring peace to Cameroon, which has faced a decade-long separatist rebellion.
Later in the day, the Pope delivered a stark warning about artificial intelligence during a speech at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé. He cautioned that AI is fostering a "transformation in our very relationship with the truth," leading to social fragmentation:
"We come to live in bubbles, impermeable to one another. Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounters and dialogue. In this way polarisation, conflict, fear and violence spread."
He also condemned the "relentless pursuit of raw material and rare earths"—such as cobalt, heavily mined in Africa for electronics—that fuel the AI industry.
The Pope's itinerary also included a visit to St. Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala. His African tour, which began in Algeria on Monday, will continue to Angola and conclude in Equatorial Guinea, highlighting his focus on the world's fastest-growing Catholic region.