Pope Leo XIV listens to Muslim leaders at the Apostolic Nunciature in Yaoundé | @Vatican Media
Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday evening with a group of 12 representatives of several Cameroonian Islamic communities, some of whom he had received in Rome in December 2025.
According to Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, the encounter took place at the Apostolic Nunciature in Yaoundé, after the Pope returned by plane from Bamenda, where he spent the day.
The communities represented by the Muslim leaders are carrying out several projects to promote social justice and cooperation to support the poorest members of Cameroon’s population, in collaboration with the local Catholic Church.
Mr. Bruni said the Pope greeted each person individually and listened to the words of welcome and thanks addressed to him by those present.
The Muslim leaders expressed appreciation for the work carried out together with the Church, for the Pope’s visit, and for his words on dialogue and peace delivered on Thursday in Bamenda.
Pope Leo and the Islamic leaders pose for a group photo | @Vatican Media
Pope Leo then shared his joy at meeting them and expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he has received from everyone in Cameroon: Christians, Catholics and non-Catholics, Muslims, and people of traditional religions.
The Pope also spoke about divisions that sometimes creep in among faiths and religions, saying this calls everyone to embrace the responsibility that arises from encounter.
He encouraged all Cameroonians to continue “to communicate everyone’s desire to find peace, not a peace of indifference, not a peace that takes away the richness of differences, but a peace that is born when we recognise that we are all brothers and sisters, all creatures of the One alone, all called to respect the dignity of all.”
In Cameroon, the Pope explained, there is a great possibility of making this dream a reality, as a desire that becomes commitment.
Pope Leo XIV encouraged those present to continue along this path of dialogue and to bring the same message and dream to others, to Muslims, and to all those who do not understand but can learn to see the beauty of fraternity, bringing great benefit to all of Cameroon.
Pope Leo met with Cameroon’s Bishops on Wednesday evening | @Vatican Media
Mr. Bruni noted that, on Wednesday evening, the Pope met with Cameroon’s Bishops.
During that encounter, the Pope underlined the great value of communion, calling it a gift to be embraced within the Church and shared in a world divided and torn by conflicts and polarisations, as well as the value of the spiritual life of pastors, which makes them authentic witnesses.
He spoke of the blessing that comes from the many vocations in Cameroon, and of the resulting challenge of forming young men responsibly, on the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional levels, as priests whose only authority is service, after the model of the Washing of the Feet carried out by Jesus and repeated on Holy Thursday.
Mr. Bruni said the Pope took several questions from the Bishops present and addressed various themes of great current importance for Cameroon.
Source: Vatican News