Pope Leo XIV celebrated a solemn Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mongomo on Wednesday, April 22, urging Catholics in Equatorial Guinea to take an active role in shaping their country’s future as the second and penultimate day of his apostolic visit to the Central African nation drew a large gathering of faithful, civil authorities, and diplomats.
The Mass marked a central moment in the final leg of the Pope’s 11-day apostolic journey across four African nations, which included Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola before the Holy Father arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday. The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is the largest religious building in central Africa and the second-largest basilica on the continent, after the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. The Immaculate Virgin is also the patroness of Equatorial Guinea.
Before Mass began, Pope Leo XIV blessed the cornerstone of a future cathedral to be built in the City of Peace, a symbolic act he described as a renewal of the Church’s commitment to the country and to the faithful who would one day worship there.
In his homily, delivered under the theme “Christ, Light of Equatorial Guinea Towards a Future of Hope,” the Pope reflected on 170 years of Catholic evangelisation in the country and called on all the baptised to become active builders of a just and peaceful society. He said the nation’s deepest need today was “a future imbued with hope that is capable of engendering a new sense of justice and producing fruits of peace and fraternity.” He stressed that this future was not one to be passively awaited but one that citizens are called to build together, through personal commitment and shared responsibility for the dignity of every person.
The Pope praised the missionaries, priests, catechists, and lay faithful who had dedicated their lives to the Gospel in Equatorial Guinea, saying their history of service must not be forgotten. He called on Catholics to carry forward that legacy without fear, serving as witnesses to charity and as builders of reconciliation in their communities. He also left the chalice used during the Eucharistic celebration as a gift to the Basilica community before departing for the next stop on his schedule in Bata.
The celebration brought together hundreds of the faithful from across the country, alongside civil authorities and members of the diplomatic corps. Crowds gathered both inside the basilica and in its surrounding grounds, following the liturgy through songs and prayers. The Pope’s reception throughout Equatorial Guinea has been described by local observers as remarkable in its warmth and scale.
Pope Leo XIV is expected to celebrate his final Mass of the apostolic journey at Malabo Stadium on Thursday, April 23, before departing for Rome.
