Rome — Pope Leo XIV recalled, on Wednesday in Rome, his recent visit to Angola, where he observed the existence of a free church for a free people, at the service of peace and national reconciliation.
Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the catechesis, the Pontiff summarized his recent apostolic journey to the African continent, emphasizing that Angola has a centuries-old Christian tradition linked to the colonial era.
"The turbulent and bloody period that the country went through after its independence served for God to guide and purify the Church, converting it ever more to the service of the Gospel, the promotion of human rights, reconciliation and peace. A free church for a free people," he stressed.
He mentioned that at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Conception of Muxima he felt the pulse of the heart of the Angolan people, and in the various meetings he joyfully saw so many religious men and women of all ages and catechists who dedicate themselves entirely to the good of the communities.
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"I saw the faces of elderly people sculpted by fatigue and suffering, but transparent to the joy of the Gospel, women and men dancing to the rhythm of songs of praise to the risen Lord, the foundation of a hope that resists the disillusionment caused by ideologies and the empty promises of the powerful," he said.
This hope, he continued, demands a concrete commitment, and the Church has the responsibility, with the witness and fearless proclamation of the Word of God, to recognize the rights of all and promote their effective respect.
He added that with the Angolan civil authorities, he Could assure that the Catholic Church is willing to continue making this contribution, particularly in the fields of health and education.
The Bishop of Rome also took the opportunity to thank the bishops and civil authorities of Angola who received him, as well as those who collaborated in organizing the apostolic journey.
Leo XIV also said that the trip to the African continent had always been his desire.
"I thank the Lord for having granted me to carry it out as a Pastor, to meet and encourage the people of God and also for having lived it as a message of peace in a historical moment, marked by wars and by serious and frequent violations of international law," he stressed.
The Republic of Algeria was the starting point of the pastoral journey, which also took the Pope to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
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Pope Leo XIV became the third Pontiff to set foot on Angolan soil, after John Paul II and Benedict XVI. MR/ASS/AMP
