Scheduled from April 15 to 18, 2026, the trip of the head of the Catholic Church to Cameroonian soil includes four major stages.
Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Cameroon will span four days. It will take place in four stages, in three major cities of the country: Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala. The sovereign pontiff will set foot on Cameroonian soil on April 15, 2026, at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport at 3:20 PM, where the welcome ceremony is scheduled. During this first stage, the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic Paul Biya at the Unity Palace. He will then meet with authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps at the Palais des Congrès before visiting the Ngül-Zamba orphanage. The inaugural stage will conclude with a private meeting with the bishops at the headquarters of the National Episcopal Conference.
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The second stage, on April 16, will take place mainly in Bamenda, the regional capital of the North-West, where the Pope is expected at 11:00 AM. In this city, Leo XIV will hold a meeting for peace with the Bamenda community in Saint Joseph’s Cathedral; he will celebrate a mass at Bamenda International Airport before returning to Yaoundé by flight.
The third stage, on April 17, 2026, will be partly dedicated to the city of Douala, the country’s economic capital. The Pope is expected there at 9:55 AM. At 11:00 AM, he will celebrate a mass at the Japoma stadium before visiting the Saint-Paul Catholic Hospital. He will return to Yaoundé and hold a meeting with the academic world at the Catholic University of Central Africa at 5:30 PM.
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The final stage will take place in the Cameroonian capital on April 18, 2026. The Pope will celebrate mass at Air Base 101 in Mvan starting at 9:30 AM. The journey of the successor of Saint Peter will conclude with the departure ceremony at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport.
In figures, Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Cameroon boils down to three cities, three masses, four meetings, and three visits. To welcome him with dignity and fervor, the Archbishop of Yaoundé calls on the faithful for an “exceptional commitment” centered on mobilization, unity, and prayer. Archbishop Jean Mbarga thus invites the faithful to gather along the various routes the Pope will take. He encourages all members of associations, movements, and choirs to wear their group outfits or the various uniforms available. A prayer has already been designed for the smooth running of the event, just as a special song has been prepared for the welcome of the sovereign pontiff.
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