Bamenda - “May they all be one” is the theme of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Cameroon. “A pastoral visit, not a political one,” Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea of Bamenda has emphasised. As preparations continue across the country for the Apostolic Visit of Pope Leo XIV from 15 to 18 April, the Archbishop - who also serves as President of the National Episcopal Conference - has described the journey in explicitly pastoral terms. “The Church does not have any intention to politicise the Pope’s visit. It is a pastoral visit. The Pope, as the universal pastor, the Vicar of Christ and the Supreme Pontiff, is coming to visit his flock,” he said.
These remarks were made during a press conference held on 20 March in one of the halls of Bamenda Cathedral, convened to brief the media on the visit and assess the level of preparations ahead of the Holy Father’s arrival. Addressing journalists, Archbishop Nkea stated: “I am very happy to have this opportunity to meet the press before the visit of the Holy Father… You will discover that this came to us as very good news, that the Holy Father is going to come to Bamenda within the first year of his pontificate.”
Silere non possum was also present in Bamenda to follow closely the preparatory stages of the Apostolic Visit.
From invitation to visit: how the journey took shape
Archbishop Nkea recalled that the relationship between the Church in Cameroon and the newly elected Pontiff began shortly after his election on 18 May 2025, when a delegation of six Cameroonian Catholic bishops travelled to Rome to attend the Mass marking the beginning of the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome.
“When I was going to attend the installation of the new Pope, I carried two letters with me,” he explained. “The first was a letter of congratulations on his election and installation. The second was a letter of invitation to the Pope to come to Cameroon.” He added that many Cameroonians would have wished to travel to Rome to meet the Pope; for this reason, the invitation from the Church in Cameroon was formally handed to him in May. “Later on, the Vatican services contacted our local Church and asked for an invitation from the State, because the Pope cannot come here without the State. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church in the world and at the same time the head of the Vatican City State,” he continued. For this reason, an official invitation from the Cameroonian authorities was also required. “You saw some of us going around the Presidency at times. It was to negotiate for an appropriate invitation. At that moment, everything was sub secreto pontificio, under pontifical secret. So whatever comments were made about us in the media, we were not obliged to explain why we were there. And therefore, the State of Cameroon invited Pope Leo XIV to come.”
On the reasons behind the Pope’s choice of Cameroon - despite the many countries hoping for a papal visit - the Archbishop was direct: “I will tell you: it is God. Nobody understands why the Pope is coming to Cameroon.” He added that the announcement came as a surprise even to Church leaders in the country: “None of us expected it… and yet he has chosen Cameroon as one of the first places he wants to visit.”
Unity, peace and justice: the themes of Bamenda, Douala and Yaoundé
Reflecting on the chosen theme, “May they all be one”, selected in consultation with the Holy See, Archbishop Nkea said: “We chose this theme in the backdrop of what is happening in our country - political unrest, ethnic divisions, the spread of hate speech, and violence in various regions.” He clarified: “This oneness has nothing to do with politics. It concerns the human person, the Church of Christ, and all God’s creatures called to love one another.”
Each stage of the Pope’s visit, he explained, will carry a specific message. After meeting the National Episcopal Conference at its centre, the Pope will travel to Bamenda on 16 April, a region marked by nearly nine years of prolonged unrest. The theme for this stage is:
“My peace I give you; my peace I leave you” (John 14:27). “This is very important for us, and it was chosen by the bishops of the Bamenda Episcopal Conference,” he noted. The Archbishop clarified that the Pope is not coming to visit Bamenda alone, but all the dioceses within the ecclesiastical provinces of Bamenda, Douala and Yaoundé, which will serve as focal points of convergence. In Douala, the focus will be on youth and unemployment, under the theme: “Give them something to eat yourselves.” “We know how much our young people are eager to leave the country in search of greener pastures - even within Central Africa… so the theme is: give them something to eat yourselves; do not wait for someone else to do it,” he said. For Yaoundé, the theme will be: “Love and truth have met; justice and peace have embraced” (Psalm 84:11).
A country preparing: logistics, prayer and the responsibility of the media
Outlining the programme, Archbishop Nkea explained that in Bamenda the Pope will meet a wide and representative group at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Mankon: “He is going to meet traditional rulers, members of civil society, elites of the North-West region, members of the Islamic and Protestant communities, and a large section of the Catholic community.” Among those present will also be internally displaced persons and civil authorities, reflecting the inclusive character of the visit. A brief stop at the Bishop’s House is planned before departure to the airport, where the Pope will celebrate Holy Mass.
Addressing concerns about access, the Archbishop firmly rejected rumours that entry passes were being sold: “The pass is free. No money is required for passes,” he stated, denouncing what he described as false and unacceptable information circulating on social media. He also pointed to visible infrastructural developments underway in preparation for the visit: “The airport has been renovated, roads are being opened and repaired, and many areas are being renewed.” Expressing confidence in the impact of the visit, he added: “The Holy Father cannot go anywhere without leaving a mark on the community.”
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A spiritual preparation
On the spiritual level, a prayer prepared by the National Episcopal Conference has been distributed, which every Christian in the country is invited to recite “for the success of the visit and for it to have a real impact on our community.” The Archbishop also referred to a Lenten pilgrimage that the Archdiocese will undertake to Jangma, primarily to pray for the success of the visit.
“Following the themes given to the different stages of the Pope’s visit, we expect that if the Holy Father comes to Bamenda and speaks to us about peace, some ears that have been hardened for the past eight years will finally hear,” he said. “I hope that the Pope’s message - especially in Bamenda - will bring healing and soften hardened hearts. If he speaks to the youth in Douala and to political and civil authorities in Yaoundé, we expect that something will change.” The Archbishop indicated that for all three locations, the respective Archbishop will serve as the point of reference, and he invited journalists to approach them for accurate information. He also urged the media to report responsibly and objectively: “We encourage you all to report this visit in the most objective way possible. The Church does not intend to politicise this visit. It is a pastoral visit. The Pope, as Universal Pastor, Vicar of Christ and Supreme Pontiff, is coming to visit his flock.” He concluded by clarifying the nature of the papal presence: “Do not expect the Pope to come here to give instructions to another sovereign head of state. He comes as a pastor. Pastors do not have police; they preach the Gospel of peace, justice, love and unity. If it touches you, accept it. If it does not, leave it. When he comes and preaches as a pastor, he will speak to everyone. Some hearts will certainly be touched - but we do not expect the Pope to leave the Vatican to come to Cameroon to instruct the government on what to do.”
Emmanuel Patrick Tan
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