Imagine landing in a city 800 km from Luanda, in the heart of Angola’s diamond mining region, with scorching heat exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, and finding nearly 60,000 people waiting for you: 40,000 in the main square and another 20,000 in the surrounding area, many of them having spent the night outdoors! That is exactly what Pope Leo XIV experienced this Monday, April 20, 2026, in Saurimo, known as the “diamond capital” of Angola.

Angola is a country blessed by nature: oil, diamonds, and other resources that could generate prosperity. However, as the Pope reminded us, the reality is quite different. Gasoline costs almost nothing for locals, but wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. Exploitation, social inequalities, violence, and arrogance turn “the bread of all into the well-being of a few.” Leo XIV did not hesitate to denounce this clearly: when injustice corrupts hearts, food and progress for many become the privilege of a few.

The Church cannot look the other way

The Pope emphasized the key role of the Catholic Church in Angola: accompanying the people, especially the most vulnerable, with a generous commitment. It is not just about offering consolation, but about helping them get back on their feet when they fall and rebuilding what violence destroys.

In Saurimo, an area deeply marked by ancestral traditions and superstitions, the Pope was even more direct. He spoke forcefully against the temptation to turn faith into a “superstitious business”: treating Christ as an idol, a guru, or a good luck charm to be invoked only when something is needed.

“There are wrong reasons to seek Christ,” he warned. We are not looking for a teacher to suck up to, nor a service provider, but a Lord to follow with our whole being, imitating his initiative of love and freedom. Christ does not want servants or clients, but people who give themselves to him with all their heart.

This denunciation resonates especially in a region where ancestral practices are sometimes intertwined with faith, almost transforming it into magic. The Pope asked Angolan Catholics to remain faithful to the true tradition of the Church, without being swayed by “ugliness” or superstition.

A moving encounter with the Mexican nuns and the elderly

On the esplanade, the special correspondent met with some Mexican nuns from Oaxaca who work as missionaries. They told him how difficult it is to accompany people in a culture so deeply rooted in traditions and superstitions. Their testimony confirms that the challenge is real and profound.

Before Mass, the Pope visited a nursing home. There, he reiterated, as Francis has done before, that the elderly are not a burden to be cared for, but a treasure to be listened to. They represent the history, memory, and wisdom of a people. “Let us not discard them,” he insisted: their experience can illuminate our lives.

A tribute to a Church that never surrendered

In the afternoon, Leo XIV met with bishops, monks, and nuns at the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima. He praised the heroic role of the Angolan Church during the long civil war (1975-2002) and in the years of subsequent reconstruction. In a country deeply wounded, the Church has been and continues to be a sign of hope and reconciliation.

Tomorrow, heading to Equatorial Guinea

After this busy day in Saurimo, the Pope travels tomorrow to Equatorial Guinea. There he will speak Spanish in public for the first time, something many have been eagerly anticipating. He will likely also commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Francis, whose burial at St. Mary Major remains a deeply meaningful gesture.

This trip to Saurimo leaves a powerful image: a Pope who is not afraid to go to the heart of Africa’s mineral wealth or to the heart of its cultural and social challenges. He denounces exploitation without mincing words, defends an authentic faith that is not reduced to superstition, and calls the Church to be a faithful companion to those who suffer most.

Ultimately, the message is clear and hopeful: Christ is not a lucky charm. He is the one who walks with us, lifts us up when we fall, and invites us to build a more just world together.

Are you up for following the Pope’s journey through Africa? Tomorrow, in Equatorial Guinea.