Tens of thousands of faithful converged in Kilamba, on the outskirts of Angola’s capital, as Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first public Holy Mass in the country on Sunday, bringing a powerful message of hope, reconciliation and the fight against corruption and resource exploitation.
The open-air Mass, held on a large esplanade in Kilamba Kiaxi for the Third Sunday of Easter, drew an estimated 200,000 worshippers who sang hymns in Portuguese and local Kimbundu languages.
The Pontiff arrived by popemobile, personally greeting priests, altar servers and nuns before presiding over the celebration.
In his homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasised that the Risen Christ walks beside the Church in Angola and urged the faithful to remain steadfast in their faith, trust their pastors, and build a future of hope despite the nation’s history of suffering, civil war, poverty and divisions. He called on Angolans to overcome enmity, squandered resources and corruption by choosing the path of justice and the common good.
The Pope’s visit to Angola, the third leg of his landmark 11-day apostolic journey across Africa (following stops in Algeria and Cameroon), has focused heavily on social justice themes.
On Saturday, upon arrival in Luanda, he met with President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço and challenged leaders to “break the cycles of interests” that have plundered Africa’s resources for centuries. He decried “despots and tyrants” who exploit natural wealth while leaving ordinary people in poverty, and described Angola as a potential “project of hope” if obstacles to integral human development are removed.
Pope Leo XIV also addressed recent global tensions, stating he has “no interest” in debating U.S. President Donald Trump over Middle East peace messages while focusing on his pastoral duties on the continent.
The visit comes as Angola recovers from recent devastating floods that claimed dozens of lives, adding urgency to the Pope’s calls for solidarity and support for the vulnerable.
Later on Sunday, he is expected to travel to the historic Marian shrine in Muxima, a former slave-trading site and one of southern Africa’s holiest locations, to lead the Rosary.
Angola, where nearly half the population identifies as Catholic, has welcomed the Pope warmly only the third pontiff to visit the country after St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. The tour continues until Tuesday in Angola before moving to Equatorial Guinea.
