African Catholics mourn Pope Francis, remembering his advocacy
Millions of African Catholics and several national leaders are mourning the death of Pope Francis, the pontiff many saw as a global advocate for Africa’s growing role in the Catholic Church.
With about a fifth of the global Catholic population, Africa is rapidly becoming a critical centre for the faith. But observers say it was Pope Francis who gave the continent a stronger voice in Church affairs.
The Pope passed away on April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The Vatican announced his death, caused by a cerebral stroke leading to a coma and irreversible heart failure, on Easter Monday, a day after his final public appearance in St. Peter’s Square.
Father Stan Chu Ilo, president of the Pan-African Catholic Theological Network, said the Pope didn’t just talk about Africa’s struggles, he physically went to the places ravaged by war and displacement, adding “that kind of solidarity had never been seen at this level before.”
During his 2015 visit to the Central African Republic, the Pope called for peace amid violent conflict. Four years later, in a powerful gesture at the Vatican, he knelt to kiss the feet of South Sudan’s rival leaders. His 2023 visit to the country, alongside then-Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, showed his deep commitment to reconciliation.
Just weeks before his death, he wrote to South Sudanese leaders urging them to “prioritise peace, reconciliation, and development.” In Kinshasa, Congo, journalist Kitsita Ndongo Rachel said she broke security barriers to meet the Pope during his visit.
“I slipped past the guards, knelt, and asked for his blessing,” she told the BBC. “He blessed me, and he blessed my rosary.” She said his message of justice gave hope to those living in one of Africa’s most conflict-stricken regions.
The Pope’s impact was also felt in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, where weekly Mass attendance ranks among the highest in the world. DR Congo, Cameroon, Uganda, and Angola are also home to thriving Catholic communities.
During his visit to Nairobi, Kenya, one of 10 African countries he visited, Pope Francis brought change, especially in how the Church approaches equality. He had a profound love for the African Church, and his legacy will endure. Heads of state echoed that sentiment. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called him a “relentless advocate for the poor,” while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praised his “worldview of inclusion and equality.”
According to the Vatican, seven million people across Africa converted to Catholicism in the last year alone, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church. Yet despite its growth, Africa remains underrepresented in the Vatican hierarchy.
Although Father Ilo believes an African Pope is inevitable, given Africa’s growing influence within the Church. “An African Pope is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ — because the Catholic Church in Africa is now a theological, spiritual, and demographic powerhouse,” he said. As the Church begins the process of selecting a new pope, speculation is mounting. Could the next leader of the Church be African—for the first time in a millennium?
Written by Kweku Sampson.
This article is published by either a staff writer, an intern, or an editor of TheAfricanDream.net, based on editorial discretion.
