Pope Leo has delivered a forceful condemnation of global injustices during his ongoing four-nation Africa tour, lamenting that many people are “exploited by authoritarians and defrauded by the rich”.
This marks an ongoing shift in his public sermons, showcasing a new, more outspoken style.
Addressing worshippers at a Mass in Saurimo, near the Democratic Republic of Congo border, the first US pope – who has previously drawn the ire of President Donald Trump – said that violence and oppression contradict the Christian message.
He declared: “Every form of oppression, violence, exploitation and dishonesty negates the resurrection of Christ”, referring to the core belief of Christianity that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified.
His visit to Angola is the third leg of an ambitious 10-day African journey, one of the most complex papal tours ever conducted. It spans 11 cities and towns across four countries, covering about 11,000 miles (18,000 km) over 18 flights.
After becoming head of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church last May, Leo kept a relatively low profile for his first 10 months.
However, his Africa tour has seen him issue forceful denunciations of war and inequality, repeatedly criticising world leaders without naming individuals.
On Saturday the 70-year-old pontiff decried exploitation of natural resources in Africa by “despots and tyrants”. Last Thursday he said the world was “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants”.
The pope told journalists on Sunday that his speeches during the tour were written weeks ago and not aimed directly at Mr Trump.
He has strongly criticised the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which began on 28 February.
Enthusiastic crowds
Crowds in Angola, where 80 per cent of the population identifies as Christian – and about half of them as Catholic – have been enthusiastic for Leo, with people lining streets along his routes and dancing and screaming to greet him.
Two events on Sunday, a Mass attended by throngs in a dirt field and a prayer at a site that was once a hub for transatlantic slavery, drew roughly 130,000 people.
Monday is Leo’s last full day in Angola. He heads on Tuesday to Equatorial Guinea, the final leg of his Africa tour.
He will give a speech there to the country’s political leaders after meeting with President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has been in power since 1979, making him the world’s longest-serving president.
Equatorial Guinea is widely criticised as one of the most repressive countries in the region. The government denies allegations of human rights abuses and corruption.
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