Pope Francis visited ten African countries during his five trips to the continent, promoting inter-religious dialogue and tolerance while denounced corruption and economic colonialism. After the Pope’s death on Monday, African leaders praised his “legacy of compassion” and “commitment to inclusivity,” despite disagreement over his stance on LGBTQ issues.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, chairman of the African Union Committee, praised the Pope’s brave involvement with the African continent, amplifying the voiceless voice, defending peace and reconciliation, and standing in solidarity with those affected by conflict and poverty.
An estimated 20% of Catholics in the world are on the African continent, with the majority being in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
Kenya President William Root said Francis “exemplified the servant leader through humility, unwavering commitment to inclusion and justice, and deep compassion for the poor and vulnerable.”
The fight against city exclusion
During the 2015 visit to the African continent, the Pope celebrated Mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Kangemislam, Nairobi, where he launched an attack on “new forms of colonialism” that exacerbated “the terrifying injustice of the city.”
The bishop criticized the wealthy minorities who save resources at the expense of the poor, and praised solidarity and mutual support in underprivileged areas.
Kangemi worshiper Lucy Nganga remembers Francis “presented himself as the Pope of the Pope of the Pope, and that is why he chose this church.”
Theresa Siuwai, another Catholic in the parish, told RFI that she was marked by the fact that she “chosen to come to the ghetto.”
“We see important people here when we’re looking for votes here. So even for just an hour, it was an honor to see how the Pope comes to Kangemi and see how we live and are part of the community. We felt human.”
“Reconciliation between two communities”
During his same 2015 visit to Africa, Pope Francis made a dangerous trip to Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic.
After the coup by the Seleca Union against former president François Bozize, the country was still in crisis, with continued tensions between Muslim Seleca fighting factions and Christian anti-Barakha.
Francis visited Christian churches and mosques and drove the Popemovie with both the country’s highest ranked Muslim clergy and his Christian counterparts.
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Fridrin, one of the group of young servers at Bangui Cathedral, recalls the sense of hope for peace and reconciliation that Francis heads towards the Muslim district.
“Close your eyes and you visualize everything,” he told RFI. “In the height of the crisis, for two years, Christians were unable to step into PK5, the PK5, a neighborhood primarily Muslims, and Muslims couldn’t leave PK5. But the Pope bravely confronted the situation and he went all the way to the PK5 mosque.” “That day he attracted thousands of Christians behind the procession to PK5. It was a great reconciliation. With my own eyes, I saw the two communities hug, cry and hug.”
Fridlin also recalls how the Pope’s visit gave momentum to rehabilitation at the pediatric complex in Bangui. At the time, many children almost died due to lack of care, but since 2015, childcare was available free of charge.
Interreligious Dialogue
From the inauguration in 2013, Pope Francis highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue and received delegations from other churches and religions.
On February 4, 2019, he signed “Documents on Human Fraternity for Living with World Peace” with Grand Imam Ahmad Alteib, of Al Azhar Mosque in Egypt.
The text specifies that the Islamic science organization Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Catholic Church “declare that they adopt a culture of dialogue as a way and adopt a common cooperation as an act, mutual knowledge as a method and standard.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fatta al-Sisi said the Pope’s death was a great loss to the whole world, as it is a voice of peace, love and compassion.
He “worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build a bridge of dialogue, sought to be the champion of the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and ending the conflict,” Sisi said Monday.
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Immigration advocates
Many immigrant advocates have made dangerous journeys to reach Europe through North Africa’s deserts and the Mediterranean, but it was one of Francis’ priorities as Pope. His first trip outside of Rome in 2013 was on the island of Lampedusa, Sicily, to meet with newly arrived migrants. He condemned the “globalization of indifference” that was shown to become a refugee.
Immigration defense occupies a prominent place “on fraternity and social friendship” in the cyclical Fratelli Tutti of 2020, where he condemned certain Catholic behavior against immigrants.
“We don’t openly deny that they are human, but in reality, our decisions and the way we treat them allow us to show that they think of less valuable, less important, less Haman,” he wrote. “For Christians, this way of thinking and acting is unacceptable because it sets the inevitable dignity of each person, regardless of the highest laws of each person’s humanity, race, religion, and fraternal love, as it sets the inevitable dignity of each person.”
Francis also roundly denounced the consequences of Western policy of closing borders. In August 2024, he explained his efforts to fight off immigrants and cut off their routes as “serious sin” as he recalls lifeless people, including those “forsaken” in the desert.
Previously in Rome in 2021 he mentioned the Mediterranean, the route most used by irregular immigrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea and Europe.
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The discomfort of the African Archdiocese
There were moments of tension in Pope Francis’ relationship with Africa. Early in his Holy See, Francis signaled a more welcoming attitude towards LGBTQ+ people, declaring, “Who am I going to judge?” When asked about a gay priest.
Through the Fidosia Supplement Camp Declaration released in December 2023, he approves the blessings of same-sex couples and stipulates that it does not resemble a marriage vow.
It sparked protests among the archdiocese of Africa and was quickly rejected by bishops from several African countries.
Faced with the rebellion, Cardinal Fridrin Ambongo, president of the symposium of the Anglican Conference in Africa and Madagascar, went to the Vatican to present the perspective of the church in Africa and to work towards solving the crisis.
They agreed to the message endorsed by the Pope – African religious leaders would not need to congratulate same-sex couples.
The episode is still a hot topic. “It was a fuss, especially in Africa,” a Chadian Catholic told RFI. “The Vatican did its best it could to provide the discussion, but no one was convinced,” the worshipper told the RFI, adding that the tug of war in war was the Pope’s decisive moment.
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“I’m missing African hands!”
On other occasions, the head of the Catholic Church was in harmony with the African continent.
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Shortly after his landfall at DRC’s Kinshasa in January 2023, he gave a speech more broadly condemning the exploitation of both the country and the continent.
“Hand the Democratic Republic of the Congo! Let the African hands go away! Stop suffocating Africa, it’s not the mines or the terrain to be plundered,” he applauded, referring to the rich resources such as diamonds and cortans that have brought conflict and death to the country.
Pope Francis repeatedly called for the end of a long-term conflict in the Eastern DRC.
Dr. Felix Zisekedi, Dr. Congo, paid tribute to “the great servant of God, a vibrant testimony of faith, humility and unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and human dignity.”
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Throughout his Pope, the Pope emphasized his attachment to the “invitation” of faith that allows for the integration of Christian messages into a particular culture.
In 1988, Zaire’s ritual was approved by the DRC, and at the time it was known as Zaire. That was the “only inserted ritual of the Latin Church approved after the Second Vatican Council,” the Pope Francis said.
The African adaptation of Roman rituals in particular had a special place in the teachings of Francis. He cited “Roman Mass of the Parish of Zaire” several times as “a promising model for the Amazon and other churches seeking proper liturgical expressions.”
On July 3, 2022, Francis celebrated the Mass according to the ritual of Zailean at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, closing his Homily with Lingala.
“Motoazalínamatóimakoyóka,” said Francis. The crowd replied: “Ayoka,” “Moto Azari na Motema Mwa Kondima… andima.”
The words translate as “Listen to the one who has ears and listen… People who have a agreeable heart, agree.”
