Pope Leo XIV used an appearance in Cameroon on Thursday to deliver an unusually sharp condemnation of world leaders who spend heavily on war and invoke religion to justify violence, saying the world is "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants." The remarks came amid an ongoing public dispute with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly attacked the pope on social media over his opposition to the US-Israeli military operation in Iran.
Speaking at Saint Joseph's Cathedral in Bamenda, the largest city in Cameroon's anglophone regions, the pope did not name any individual but aimed his criticism at those he said manipulate "the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth," according to multiple media reports.
Pope's remarks and context
Pope Leo, the first US-born pope, addressed a region that has been gripped by a separatist insurgency for nearly a decade. The conflict between government forces and English-speaking separatists has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, with some estimates citing over 6,500 deaths and more than 600,000 people displaced since 2017, as reported by several outlets.
The pope presided over a peace meeting attended by a Mankon traditional chief, a Presbyterian moderator, a Muslim imam, and a Catholic nun, aiming to highlight interfaith efforts to end the violence. He praised peacemakers and warned against allowing religion to become entangled in conflicts.
"The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild," he said. "They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found."
He also called for a "decisive change of course" away from conflict and the exploitation of land and people for military or economic gain.
Feud with Trump
The pope's comments follow a series of personal attacks by President Trump, who posted on Truth Social that "Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy" and later said "Leo should get his act together as Pope." Trump's criticisms were prompted by the pope's vocal opposition to the war in Iran, including his concern over Trump's threat that "a whole civilisation would die" if Iran did not agree to US demands.
The dispute has drawn attention across Africa, where more than a fifth of the world's Catholics live, and has caused dismay among some observers. An Australian academic told ABC that Trump's attacks had alienated Italian Catholics, with a survey indicating 79% of Italians disapproved of Trump's handling of the Iran war.
Broader conflict and economic impact
The US-Israeli war in Iran has continued despite a temporary ceasefire, with significant economic and human costs. According to the Iran War Cost Tracker, Operation Epic Fury has been costing an estimated $41.6 million per hour since February 28, with additional fuel costs totaling nearly $21 billion for consumers worldwide, as reported by one outlet.
Human losses have been uneven: 13 US service members have been reported killed, while Iranian military and civilian casualties are reportedly in the thousands. Israel has also suffered missile strikes and rising civilian disruption, while Gulf states remain economically exposed through attacks on energy infrastructure.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has contributed to global economic strain, though the extent of the impact remains a subject of ongoing analysis.
Background and significance
Pope Leo's visit to Cameroon is part of a four-country tour of Africa, his second major foreign trip since his election last year. The tour has included stops in Algeria and will continue to Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
The pope's outspoken stance on the Iran war marks a departure from his relatively low-profile first year in office, positioning him as a moral counterweight to Washington's hard-line policies, according to several analyses.
His message in Cameroon resonates deeply in a region that has suffered from a long and largely neglected conflict, which some analysts trace back to the country's colonial history and the divide between anglophone and francophone communities.
Observers note that the pope's remarks, while directed at world leaders generally, carry particular weight given the ongoing feud with Trump and the broader context of religious rhetoric being used to justify war in the Middle East.