Pope Leo XIV visits elderly, celebrates Mass, meets Church workers in Angola

On April 20, the eighth day of his Apostolic Journey in Africa, Pope Leo XIV travelled across Angola, moving between Saurimo and Luanda, the capital city, covering nearly 2,000 kilometres in a single day, according to Vatican News.

In the morning, the Pope flew about 950 kilometres from Luanda to Saurimo, where he visited a home for the elderly. Residents welcomed him with singing and dancing. Addressing them, he said the elderly are not only to be assisted but also to be heard, describing them as carriers of what he called “the wisdom of a people,” as reported by Vatican News.

He then celebrated Mass near the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. Around 40,000 people were present within the designated area, while another 20,000 followed from outside the enclosure. Many remained in direct sunlight throughout the liturgy.

In his homily, the Pope spoke about inequality and violence affecting societies today. As Vatican News reported, he said that “the hope of many people is frustrated by violence, exploited by the powerful and defrauded by the rich,” and warned that injustice concentrates resources in the hands of a few. He said Christ responds to human suffering and continues to “lift us up from every fall.”

He also cautioned against forms of belief that reduce faith to convenience or personal gain. He warned against replacing “genuine faith” with superstitious practices, and against treating Christ as a “guru or a good luck charm,” according to Vatican News.

Later in the afternoon, the Pope returned to Luanda, the capital, and met with bishops, priests, religious, and lay pastoral workers at Our Lady of Fatima Parish. He told them that their work is not unnoticed, saying, “He is not indifferent to all that you do, for love of him, to nourish your people with the truth of the Gospel,” as reported by Vatican News.