Luanda (Angola). From 18 to 21 April 2026, as part of his third apostolic journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo XIV visited Angola. (Program)
After the Visit in Cameroon and the following the welcome ceremony at “4 de Fevereiro” International Airport in Luanda, he met with the President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, government authorities, and members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Palace. Among those present was Sister Natália Miguel, Provincial of Queen of Peace Province (ANG) of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and President of the Conference of Religious Institutes of Angola (CIRA).
“I come to you to meet your people, as a pilgrim seeking signs of God’s passage in this land He loves.” Expressing the joy of this visit, Pope Leo immediately offered his prayers for the victims of the heavy rains and floods that had struck the province of Benguela in those days, and expressed his closeness to the families who had lost their homes.
“I desire to meet you in the spirit of gratuitous peace, and to recognize that your people possess treasures that can neither be sold nor stolen. In particular, you hold within yourselves a joy that not even the most adverse circumstances have been able to extinguish. This joy, which knows also pain, indignation, disappointments, and defeats, endures and is reborn among those who have kept their hearts and minds free from the deception of wealth. You know well that all too often your regions have been and continue to be viewed merely as places from which to give, or, more frequently, to take something. It is necessary to break this chain of self-interest that reduces reality and life itself to a mere commodity.”
In his opening words, he alluded to the suffering and environmental catastrophes caused by “overbearing interests” bearing down on the Country, yet he also drew upon the joy and hope that characterize this “young society”. “Joy knows how to carve out paths even within the darkest zones of stagnation and distress.” He continued: “Together, you can make Angola a project of hope. The Catholic Church, whose work of service to the Country I know you hold in high esteem, desires to be leaven in the dough and to foster the growth of a just model of coexistence, free from the forms of bondage imposed by wealthy elites and their false joys. Only together can we multiply the talents of this wonderful people, reaching deep into the urban peripheries and the most remote rural regions where its life pulses and its future is being forged.”
The participation of the joyful Angolan people in all the moments with the Holy Father was immense, as was that of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, who divided themselves in order to be present in the various locations.
On 19 April, the FMA were alongside the people who had been camped out since the previous night in brightly colored tents on the Kilamba esplanade. There, during his homily at Holy Mass, the Pope, drawing upon the Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter regarding the disciples on the road to Emmaus declared, “Brothers and sisters, in this opening scene of the Gospel, I see reflected the history of Angola, of this beautiful yet wounded country, which hungers and thirsts for hope, for peace, and for fraternity.” He concluded by saying, “Today, there is a need to look toward the future with hope, and to build the hope of the future. Do not be afraid to do so! The Risen Jesus who walks the road with you and who breaks Himself like bread for your sake encourages you to be witnesses of His resurrection and protagonists of a new humanity and a new society.” On this occasion, Sister Filomena Tuatale, the Provincial Secretary, served in the sacristy alongside other religious sisters.
On that same day, various FMA and formandee were among the jubilant faithful on the esplanade in front of the “Mama Muxima” Sanctuary—“Mother of the Heart, for the recitation of the Rosary with the Pope, amidst music, hymns, and dancing, a sign of the immense joy of having the Successor of Peter in their midst. “Dear young people, dear members of the Legion of Mary, dear brothers and sisters, Our Lady asks us to let ourselves be drawn into the sentiments of her heart, so that we, like her, may be agents of justice and bearers of peace. (…)To you, too, in fact, the Mother of Heaven entrusts a great project, that of building a better, more welcoming world, one where there are no longer wars, injustices, misery, or dishonesty; and where the principles of the Gospel increasingly inspire and shape hearts, structures, and programs, for the good of all. It is love that must triumph, not war! This is what the heart of Mary teaches us, the heart of the Mother of all. Let us set out, then, from this Sanctuary as ‘angel-messengers’ of life, to bring the caress of Mary and the blessing of God to everyone.” Concluding, he turned to the Madonna in the local language: “Mama Muxima, tueza kokué; Mama Muxima, tutambululé: ‘Mother of the heart, we come to you, to offer you everything’.”
On 20 April, following his visit to the Home for the Elderly, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharist at the Saurimo Esplanade. “Dearest brothers and sisters, the witness of the martyrs and saints encourages and spurs us on along a path of hope, reconciliation, and peace, a path along which God’s gift becomes human commitment within the family, the Christian community, and civil society. By walking this path together, in the light of the Gospel, the Church in Angola grows in that spiritual fruitfulness which begins with the Eucharist and continues through the integral care of every individual and of the entire people. In particular, the vitality of the vocations you are experiencing is a sign of your response to the Lord’s gift, a gift that is always abundant for those who welcome it with a pure heart.” And at the conclusion as his visit drew to a close, while expressing his gratitude for the organizational efforts, he offered this wish, “Angola, remain faithful to your Christian roots! In doing so, you will be able to continue ever more effectively to contribute to the building of justice and peace in Africa and throughout the entire world.”
Pope Leo then returned to Luanda, where, at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, he met with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, catechists, and pastoral workers. Present alongside other FMA was the Provincial Superior, Sister Natália Miguel who, in her capacity as President of CIRA, received a rosary from the Pope at the conclusion of the event. Following the sharing of several testimonies, the Pope delivered his address, in which he emphasized the need to promote peace: “Your fidelity in Angola, as it needs to be throughout the world, is today particularly bound to the proclamation of peace. In the past, you demonstrated courage in denouncing the scourge of war, in supporting tormented populations by standing at their side, in building and rebuilding, and in pointing out paths and solutions to bring an end to armed conflict. Your contribution is widely recognized and appreciated. Yet this commitment has not ended! Therefore, foster a reconciled memory, educating everyone in harmony and valuing in your midst the serene witness of those brothers and sisters who, after enduring painful torments, have forgiven everything. Rejoice with them; celebrate peace!”
As highlighted by sister Idalina Mareco, Communications Coordinator for the ANG Province, the visit of Pope Leo XIV was for the people and for all the FMA a time of grace and great joy: “We truly felt his presence as a messenger of peace and reconciliation, as a pilgrim in our midst. Looking at the Angolan people, who have endured various hardships in recent times, the Holy Father’s visit brought with it a deep and genuine comfort. And, as a Church, it concretely underscores the unity that we profess.
The Pope came to confirm us in the faith and to awaken those who call themselves Christians but are asleep in the faith, given that 40% of the population is Catholic. His words, addressed to the clergy, consecrated persons, and pastoral workers, continue to resonate within us: ‘Do not be afraid of tomorrow; you belong totally to the Lord. Look to the future with hope, and build the hope of the future. The only thing the Lord takes away from us is sin. Let your way of life proclaim who Jesus is, so that our witness may speak even louder’.”
Ho letto con molto piacere la relazione della visita del Papa in Angola: assicuro la mia preghiera per una missione feconda. Srluisa Dolce FMA