Cheers & tears of joy: Cameroon welcomes Pope Leo XIV in grand style.

The Airbus A320neo operated by ITA Airways, the Italian flag carrier whose Papal charter is commonly known as ‘Shepherd One’ touched down at 2:56pm local time beneath clear blue skies and bright afternoon sunshine. 

The Holy Father’s arrival at the airport was greeted with screams and shouts of joy from the faithful who had gathered inside the terminal and along the surrounding perimeter.

At 3:12p.m., Pope Leo XIV stepped from the aircraft to thunderous applause. He was first received by Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, who greeted him and kissed his ring before he was presented with a bouquet of welcome flowers. 

The airport forecourt was adorned with Cameroonian and Vatican flags displayed side by side, waving gently in the afternoon breeze.

Following a brief private meeting with the Prime Minister in the airport's VIP lounge, Pope Leo XIV emerged to greet the Christian faithful who had assembled near the terminal. 

Clergy and lay faithful alike dropped to their knees as the Supreme Pontiff made his way through the crowd, shaking hands and offering blessings. 

Some could be heard shouting, “I greeted the Pope. I touched the Pope’s hand”. Others simply cried out “thank you” as tears rolled down their faces. Many made the Sign of the Cross. Others wept openly.

Crowds flood streets to greet Pope

Driving in the Popemobile, which conveyed him along a route stretching from the airport through the neighbourhoods of Ahala, Nsam, Mvan, Mvog Mbi, central Yaounde and Bastos, all the way to the Unity Palace, the Vatican leader was greeted by thousands. 

At the Barriere-Ahala checkpoint, the convoy slowed and the Pope rose through the car’s roof, smiling and waving at the crowds lining the roadside, a gesture he sustained all the way to the palace gates.

Every stretch of the route was lined with Cameroonians who had turned out in their multitudes. Children, adults and students in school uniforms among them.

Church groups, choirs and traditional dance groups performed along the roadside, accompanied by the sound of drums, flutes, and xylophones. 

Faithful carried banners and portraits of the Pope. Many bore palm fronds and peace plants. Others danced and clapped with outstretched arms, celebrating the passage of the Pontiff.

The crowds were a riot of colour. Worshippers arrived clad in bright uniforms of white, pink and yellow, while some wore fabric specially produced by their diocese to mark the occasion.

Women in coordinated white and blue outfits were visible throughout the route, alongside groups carrying Vatican and Cameroonian flags. 

Security officers in uniforms worked to manage the surging, jubilant crowds, many of whom reached forward and took photographs on their mobile phones as the Popemobile rolled past. 

The climax of the high-profile reception accorded the Holy Father was at the gate of the Unity Palace where thousands, drawn from all walks of life and categories, had lined up to give the august guest a reception worthy of his personality. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3762 of Thursday April 16, 2026