MAIN EVENTS
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21 May 2026
Iniziative (EN) -
Maison de la Paix (EN)
A delegation from the “United States of the World” and the “Fondazione Mediterraneo” is taking part in the main events in Equatorial Guinea to mark the visit of Pope Leo XIV, who arrived at Malabo International Airport on the northern coast of the island of Bioko, where he was welcomed with full honours by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo; Immediately afterwards, he made his way to the Presidential Palace accompanied by two colourful wings of the crowd, amidst a whirlwind of music, flags and yellow caps.
“I read in some articles that the people of Equatorial Guinea had decided they did not want to be outdone by their Cameroonian and Angolan neighbours. And so it proved! The people prepared themselves spiritually and practically to welcome their Shepherd, and the joy and liveliness of these days are the result of a great effort by the State and the Church,” testifies Sister Giusy Becchero, a missionary in Equatorial Guinea, in the Province of St Mary Domenica Mazzarello.
In this country, we find two communities of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians – Blessed Eusebia Palomino and Mary Help of Christians – founding members of the “United States of the World”. All of them took part in the events in the city alongside the people, whilst the young people and groups participated with the parishes.
In Malabo, Pope Leo XIV visited the new campus of the National University, which is to be renamed in his honour – a gesture seen as a good omen for the country’s educational development: “This moment holds a significance that goes far beyond the physical boundaries of this place and these buildings,” said the Pope, addressing the Vice-Chancellor, the authorities and all those present. – “Today also opens up a space for hope, for encounter and for progress. Every authentic educational endeavour, in fact, is called to grow not only as a structure, but as a living organism.”
On this occasion, the Holy Father used the ceiba - the national tree with its solid trunk and spreading branches - as a metaphor, one that carries great evocative power: “A tree puts down deep roots, rises upwards with patience and strength, and embodies a fruitfulness that does not exist for its own sake. (…) Dear brothers and sisters, here, within the walls of this institution, the ceiba of Equatorial Guinea is called to bear the fruits of progress in solidarity, of a knowledge that ennobles and develops the human person in an integral way. It is called to offer fruits of intelligence and integrity, of competence and wisdom, of excellence and service. (…) …then the ceiba will continue to stand as an eloquent symbol: rooted in the best of this land, raised up by the nobility of knowledge and bearing fruit capable of honouring Equatorial Guinea and enriching the entire human family”.
This was followed by a visit to the staff and patients at the Jean Pierre Olie Psychiatric Hospital. In the heart of Equatorial Guinea, where mental health has long struggled against stigma and neglect, this clinic, located in the Sampaka district, stands as a beacon of hope and a centre of excellence. “And a hospital, especially one with a Christian inspiration, is precisely this: a place where the person is welcomed just as they are, respected in their fragility, but helped to get better, within a holistic vision. To this end, the spiritual dimension is essential,” emphasised the Pope, whose visit has turned the spotlight on this vital facility that cares for the mind, the heart and human dignity.
On 22 April, during Holy Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mongomo, Pope Leo XIV joined the faithful in thanking the Lord “for 170 years of evangelisation in these lands of Equatorial Guinea. This is a fitting occasion to recall all the good that the Lord has wrought and, at the same time, I wish to express my gratitude to the many missionaries, diocesan priests, catechists and lay faithful who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Gospel.” And he urged everyone to feel involved in the work of evangelisation: “Do not be afraid to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel! Be the builders of a future of hope, peace and reconciliation, continuing the work that the missionaries began 170 years ago”.
The visit to the prison in Bata, which the Holy Father himself described as unforgettable upon his return, during the general audience on 29 April: “The prisoners sang at the top of their voices a song of thanksgiving to God and to the Pope, asking him to pray ‘for their sins and their freedom’. I had never seen anything like it. And then they prayed the ‘Our Father’ with me in the pouring rain. A genuine sign of the Kingdom of God!’
Still in the rain, the great gathering with young people and families began in the stadium in Bata, which he described as ‘a celebration of Christian joy, with moving testimonies from young people who have found in the Gospel the path to free and responsible growth’. Pope Leo addressed them thus: ‘ Dear young people, dear families, peace be with you! His Excellency described Equatorial Guinea as a country that is ‘young, full of energy, of questions, of a zest for life’, and at the same time eager to make Christ its light. It is a reminder of the motto of this journey – Christ, light of Equatorial Guinea, towards a future of hope – yet it is confirmed by the presence of all of you here! The brightest light here is that of your eyes, your faces, your smiles, your songs and your dances, in which everything bears witness to the fact that Christ is joy, meaning, inspiration and beauty for our lives”.
Finally, in his homily at the stadium in Malabo, reflecting on the encounter between the deacon Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, he highlighted how the Word of God transforms the oppressed into protagonists of salvation and urged the Church of Equatorial Guinea “to continue with joy the mission of Jesus’ first disciples. As you read the Gospel together, be passionate proclaimers of it, just as the deacon Philip was. By celebrating the Eucharist together, bear witness with your lives to the faith that saves, so that the Word of God may become good bread for all!”
The statue of Our Lady on the stage was that of Nuestra Señora de Bisila, which depicts the Virgin with indigenous features, patroness of the island of Bioko and a figure of salvation for the local people, venerated even before the arrival of the missionaries. At the end of the liturgy, the Pope paid homage to the Virgin with a silent prayer.
The media reported that 30,000 faithful were present at this Mass and, despite the torrential rain, the FMA recount that they “attended this Church event with faith and joy and experienced many moving moments that touched our hearts: “the Pope’s arrival, the hymns, the welcome from our President, the hymns sung in the various languages of this land, the carefully prepared liturgy, the joy expressed with ‘Long live the Pope!’”
Pope Leo XIV concluded his apostolic journey by expressing his gratitude:
“I leave Africa with an inestimable treasure of faith, hope and charity: it is a great treasure, made up of stories, faces, and joyful and painful testimonies that greatly enrich my life and my ministry as the successor of Peter. As in the early centuries of the Church, Africa is called today to make a decisive contribution to the holiness and missionary character of the Christian people. May this be obtained through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to whom I wholeheartedly entrust all of you, your families, your communities, your nation and all the peoples of Africa.”
