Pope Leo Postpones Visits to Major Catholic Countries in Africa

On the 22nd (local time), Pope Leo visited Equatorial Guinea, and while some African Catholic believers welcomed his visit, others expressed a sense of exclusion due to his decision not to visit major Catholic countries. Equatorial Guinea, known for its small population and authoritarian regime, is expected to receive a message from the Pope aimed at improving the country's human rights situation. However, major Catholic countries in Africa, such as Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had anticipated a papal visit, were not included in this itinerary. As a result, some African Catholic believers have expressed disappointment over the Pope's focus on specific countries. The Vatican explained that the purpose of this visit is to call for improvements in the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea and to deliver a message for peace and prosperity across Africa.