Imagine a vast expanse under the African sun, with nearly  100,000 people  gathered for Pope Leo XIV’s Mass. He is the third Pope to visit this resource-rich country, yet one marked by profound inequalities. Angolans know this all too well: a civil war raged here from 1975 to 2002, and although more than two decades have passed, the scars remain. Corruption, poverty, lack of basic services in the periphery… and yet, a faith that endures and unites.

The special correspondent who shared this video report experienced it firsthand. He had already been here with  John Paul II in 1992  and with  Benedict XVI in 2009. Now, under Leo XIV, the contrast remains stark: modern ministries and hospitals in the center of Luanda, luxury neighborhoods for foreigners and diplomats, while in the outskirts and outside the capital, people still die from malaria, cholera, or from a lack of medicine and refrigerators to store vaccines. The Church, as always in Africa, fills many of these gaps with schools, clinics, and a constant presence.

“Like the disciples of Emmaus”: Angola, a country that needs to look ahead

In his homily at Mass in  Kilamba  (that “ghost city” built by the Chinese, with expensive buildings and few people living in them), the Pope took the Gospel of the day: the two disciples who, disillusioned after the death of Jesus, return to Emmaus with broken hearts and everything seems bleak.

Leo XIV put it clearly, without mincing words, in the style of John Paul II: that image closely resembles Angola. A magnificent but wounded country, plagued by enmities, divisions, squandered resources, and persistent poverty despite its oil and mineral wealth. “Do not remain trapped in pain,” he reminded them. The Angolan Church, which played a key role during the war and reconstruction, especially in education and healthcare, now has the mission of accompanying the people so they can overcome old divisions and build hope.

The message was especially for young people: Angola is a  young country , with 60% of its population under 25. He asked them to be courageous and not let themselves be defeated by corruption, inequality, and the still-open wounds. “God walks with you,” he said, “and in the Eucharist, he breaks the bread and reveals himself to you. You are not alone.”

Mama Muxima: the mother who is always there

In the afternoon, the Pope flew by helicopter to the shrine of  Mama Muxima  (or Mama Mushima), the patron saint of Angola, the dark-skinned Virgin whom the people feel as “the mother of their hearts.” She is their Guadalupe, their Częstochowa: she has been by the people’s side in good times and, above all, in very bad times. There, before some 30,000 people, he led the recitation of the Rosary.

Leo XIV recalled Saint John Paul II’s profound devotion to the Rosary and presented Mary as the mother who loves all her children equally, whether “good or bad.” He urged everyone to imitate this vocation of love in order to build fraternity, welcome the most vulnerable, feed the hungry, and care for the sick. He urged young people: do not be discouraged. Set out on your journey and do everything possible for a more just, peaceful, and welcoming society.

Not just Angola: a look at the world

Although the day was deeply religious, the Pope did not forget the suffering of the world. At the end of Mass, during the  Regina Coeli , he lamented the renewed attacks against Ukraine that continue to devastate the civilian population and called for “the weapons to fall silent” and for dialogue to resume. He also welcomed with hope the truce in Lebanon and expressed his wish that the negotiations would lead to a just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East.

The legacy of a Sunday in Angola

A day dedicated to strengthening the faith of 15 million Angolan Catholics, to give them reasons for hope and to remind them that, as the disciples of Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread, today too the Risen One makes himself present in the midst of suffering and opens new paths.

The Pope departs with a clear and courageous message: look ahead with courage, do not extinguish hope, love is always stronger than war and division. Tomorrow he will continue his journey to other cities in Angola, but the echo of this Sunday already resonates: in a country that has suffered greatly, the Church remains a sign of comfort and a driving force for the future.

Doesn’t it make you want to read it all? Because when a Pope speaks so clearly, with his heart set on the people and without fear of pointing out their wounds, one feels that faith is not cheap consolation, but a force to transform reality.

May Mama Muxima accompany all the Angolan people… and may her example reach us as well.

Until the next shipment from the road!