More than 120,000 people have joined Pope Leo XIV in Cameroon for an open-air Mass, the biggest crowd so far during his 11-day Africa tour.
Arriving in the economic city of Douala on Friday, the Pope reiterated his message of peace after visiting the country’s Anglophone region hit by a decade-long rebellion the day before.
He later warned of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), which he said was leading to the spread of “polarisation, conflict, fear and violence”.
Jubliant crowds welcomed the Pope as he arrived at the Japoma Stadium.
Standing in his vehicle – known as the Popemobile – the pontiff waved at the droves of people waiting for his entrance.
Some worshippers camped outside the premises on Thursday night in a bid to get a prime spot for the pontiff’s address, with some having been there for more than 24 hours.
By Friday, tens of thousands of people of all ages, including several from the priesthood, braved the heat to participate in the occasion.
The Pope’s message on Friday was focused on spiritual matters, and encouraging young people to diversify their talents and support their communities.
“Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive,” he said.
“Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society.”
Some attendees told the BBC they were happy to have seen and listened to the Pope, echoing a growing desire for peace to return to the conflict-hit nation.
As they raised their hands in prayer, some held up umbrellas and books over their heads to keep cool. Others were left wiping sweat from their face.
Worship took different forms for those in the crowds. Some clasped their hands together, while others prostrated themselves.
On the fifth day of his Africa tour – and his third in Cameroon – the Pope also visited the St Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala.
And in the capital, Yaounde, he gave a speech at the Catholic University of Central Africa, in which he spoke about AI’s role in bringing about a “transformation in our very relationship with the truth”.
He said that when simulation became normal, people lost touch with reality.
“We come to live in bubbles, impermeable to one another,” he said.
“Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounters and dialogue. In this way polarisation, conflict, fear and violence spread.”
The Pope also condemned the “relentless pursuit of raw material and rare earths” – metals, such as cobalt, that are heavily mined in Africa and are widely used in electronics, making them necessary for the AI boom.
His 11-day trip started on Monday with Algeria, marking the first visit to the Muslim majority country by any Pope.
On Saturday, the Pope travels in Angola, and end his tour of the continent in Equatorial Guinea.
