Pope Leo's Bold Africa Tour: A Call for Global Change

Pope Leo returned to Rome on Thursday, concluding a significant four-nation tour of Africa where he strongly criticized global leadership, tyranny, and wars, notably provoking U.S. President Donald Trump's anger. The tour ended with a grand Mass in Equatorial Guinea, despite heavy rain.

In his 25th address during the 10-day tour, Leo told worshippers that the Christian message liberates people from evil. Visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, he urged faith and joy, adopting a more potent speaking style and condemning rich nations' threats to peace and neocolonial violations of law.

Despite Trump's criticism on April 12 over Leo's views on the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, the Pope stayed firm. Leo reassured reporters that his speeches were not aimed directly at Trump. The Pope's plane, scheduled to arrive in Rome at 8 p.m., will host a press conference aboard.

(With inputs from agencies.)