In April 2026, Pope Leo XIV undertook a pastoral visit of deep significance to Equatorial Guinea. This pilgrimage coincided with a particularly moving date for the universal Church: the first anniversary of the passing of Pope Francis, which occurred on April 21, 2025. The Pontiff chose to honor the memory of his predecessor not only with words but by continuing that ministry of closeness to the poor and denunciation of injustices that characterized the pontificate of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. During the flight to Malabo, Leo XIV recalled with affection and gratitude the legacy of Francis, emphasizing how his life was a gift to the Church and to the entire world, especially to the smallest and most marginalized.
The memory of Pope Francis was the common thread of a speech that touched the heart of contemporary challenges. In a moment of commemoration, the new Pope transformed grief into a call to action, inviting all believers to make the mission of mercy and justice their own. This pastoral approach demonstrates how the Church's leadership is a service of continuity in love, where each successor picks up the torch to carry it forward with renewed vigor, adapting it to the urgencies of the present time.
Words That Challenge Our Time
Before the authorities of Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo XIV spoke clear and prophetic words, echoing a warning that has resonated for years in the Christian conscience: there exists an economic system that, instead of giving life, takes it away. This alarm cry is not a generic condemnation but a precise diagnosis of an evil that particularly afflicts the African continent and many other regions of the world. The Pontiff spoke of "predatory instincts" that, coming from other parts of the globe, exploit resources and people, creating unacceptable paradoxes.
Equatorial Guinea itself represents an emblematic case: despite having one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa thanks to oil and gas, the vast majority of its population lives in conditions of extreme poverty. This stark contrast between national wealth and widespread misery is symptomatic of a distorted development model, where the common good is sacrificed to the interests of a few. The Pope invited reflection on how the holy name of God is often profaned when invoked to justify choices that bring death and suffering instead of life and dignity.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6, NIV)
This beatitude, implicitly cited in the papal address, becomes the criterion by which to judge every economic and political system. The hunger and thirst for righteousness that Jesus spoke of are not a spiritual optional but a fundamental human need that must translate into fair social structures. When these structures are lacking or corrupted, the proclamation of the Gospel risks remaining abstract, separated from the concrete reality of people's lives.
Saint Augustine's Lesson for Today
To help his listeners discern between models of society, Pope Leo XIV recalled the image of the two cities described by Saint Augustine in "The City of God." The great Church Father taught that in history, two realities always coexist: the City of God, founded on love to the point of self-contempt, and the City of Man, founded on self-love to the point of contempt for God. These two cities are not simply geographical places but orientations of the heart that manifest in the daily choices of every person and every community.
The Pontiff explained that this Augustinian vision is not a philosophical abstraction but a practical tool for Christian discernment. Each day, our choices contribute to building one city or the other. Economics, politics, and international relations are not neutral territories but arenas where this fundamental tension between self-giving love and accumulating selfishness plays out. The Pope's call was precisely to courageously examine what kind of city we are building with our personal and collective actions.
In the African context, this reflection takes on particular urgency. The continent that has historically suffered exploitation and colonialism today faces new forms of economic domination. Leo XIV pointed out that true solidarity does not consist in giving alms but in creating conditions for all peoples to develop with dignity, respecting their culture and their right to decide their own future.
The Pope's journey ended with a meeting with local Christian communities, where he highlighted the prophetic role of the Church in societies marked by inequality. "Our faith," he said, "calls us to be witnesses of a justice that springs from the heart of God and becomes flesh in history." This message, which unites memory, prophetic denunciation, and concrete hope, represents a significant contribution to the global dialogue on integral human development.
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