The first US pope, who has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump with his more outspoken comments, told worshippers at a Mass in Saurimo, near the Democratic Republic of Congo border, that violence and oppression went against the Christian message.
“Every form of oppression, violence, exploitation and dishonesty negates the resurrection of Christ,” said the pontiff, referring to the core belief of Christianity that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified.
His visit to Angola marks the third leg of an ambitious 10-day Africa tour, one of the most complicated ever conducted by a pope, with stops in 11 cities and towns in four countries, traversing nearly 18,000 kilometres over 18 flights.
Read More: A new, forceful Pope Leo steps onto the world stage
Leo, who became the head of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church last May, kept a relatively low profile in the first 10 months of his papacy but has issued forceful denunciations of war and inequality during his Africa tour.
He has also repeatedly criticised world leaders, without naming individuals.
On Saturday, the 70-year-old pontiff decried the 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 Trump. He has strongly criticised the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which began on February 28.
Enthusiastic crowds
Crowds in Angola, where 80% 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.
Pope Leo downplays feud with Trump
Leo sought to downplay his feud with Trump, saying reporting about comments he has made so far during his Africa tour “has not been accurate in all its aspects”.
Speaking to reporters in English aboard his flight to Angola, he said comments he made two days earlier in Cameroon, decrying that the world was being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”, were not aimed at Trump.
Also Read: ‘Handful of tyrants’ ravaging world: Pope
That speech, said Leo, “was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting”.
Vice President JD Vance, who had criticised the pope’s remarks last week, welcomed his latest comments.
I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict–and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated.
Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he… https://t.co/SxWCKyhDSj
— JD Vance (@JDVance) April 18, 2026
“I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this,” Vance posted on social media platform X. “While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict — and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen — the reality is often much more complicated.”
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116394704213456431
On Sunday, as Leo prepared to embark on his tour, Trump called him “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy” in a post on Truth Social. Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, drawing widespread criticism even from some religious conservatives who typically support him. The post was removed on Monday morning.
Trump appeared to be responding to Leo’s growing criticism in recent weeks of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Leo told Reuters on Monday that he would keep speaking out about the war, and Trump reiterated his criticism on Tuesday.