Thousands celebrate open-air Mass with Pope Leo in Cameroon - in pictures

Pope Leo XIV is on his third day in Cameroon before he heads to Angola on Saturday. Pope Leo in Cameroon: Thousands celebrate open-air Mass in Douala Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A woman wearing sunglasses, a headwrap and a patterned dress in cream, green and orange, smiling and cheering. Behind her, are women wearing pink, some of whom are pointing and others are waving Cameroonian flags Thousands celebrate open-air Mass with Pope Leo in Cameroon - in pictures More than 120,000 people have joined Pope Leo XIV in Cameroon for an open-air Mass, the biggest crowd so far during his 11-day Africa tour. Arriving in the economic city of Douala on Friday, the Pope reiterated his message of peace after visiting the country's Anglophone region hit by a decade-long rebellion on Thursday. Pope in his vehicle on the right, waving to crowds that are on the left of the picture Jubliant crowds welcomed Pope Leo as he arrived at the Japoma Stadium. Standing in his vehicle - known as the Popemobile - the pontiff waved at the droves of people waiting for his entrance. Crowds with their back to the camera facing the popemobile. There are some umbrellas in the crowd to shade against the sun, most notably a red one on the left. Many people in the crowd have their phones up in the air to take photos or videos. Some worshippers camped outside the premises on Thursday night in a bid to get a prime spot for the pontiff's address, with some having been there for more than 24 hours. By Friday, tens of thousands of people of all ages, including several from the priesthood, braved the heat to participate in the occasion. Crowd of people with a pole in the centre with three men stood against it. the pole has a Vatican flag and a Cameroon flag attached. They all look to be listening Pope Leo's message on Friday was focused on spiritual matters, and encouraging young people to diversify their talents and support their communities. "Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive," the pontiff said. "Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society," he added. Some attendees told the BBC they were happy to have seen and listened to the Pope, echoing a growing desire for peace to return to the conflict-hit nation. A man in a vibrant green shirt with his eyes closed and hands raised in prayer. He is kneeling as is the woman on his left. Behind them are dozens of people standing, including one with a cap on, one with an umbrella up, and a woman with an open book over her head, all to shield from the sun. As they raised their hands in prayer, some raised umbrellas and books over their heads to keep cool. Others were left wiping sweat from their face. Four clergymen, in front of a crowd. The one in the centre is wiping sweat from his face with a hankerchief. Worship took different forms for those in the crowds. Some clasped their hands together, while others prostrated themselves. A crowd of happy people standing. In the front centre is a little boy who is prostrating on the ground The Pope is blessing a woman in green, who is holding a toddler girl on her lap. There is a crowd of people around them On the fifth day of his Africa tour - and his third in Cameroon - Pope Leo also visited the St Paul Catholic Hospital in Douala. His 11-day trip started on Monday with Algeria, marking the first visit to the Muslim majority country by any Pope. On Saturday, the Pope travels in Angola, and end his tour of the continent in Equatorial Guinea. A crowd of women dressed in specially designed red fabric for the Pope's visit in Bamenda. One holds a poster of Pope Leo several others hold branches of green leaves. Pope lashes out at foreigners who exploit Africa A young girl on the left wearing a gold sequinned dress and a beaded headdress. She is giving the pope - who is on the right and crouched down to her - a bouquet of red roses. He is smiling and wearing red. Partial shots of four men can be seen behind them. Pope prioritises world's fastest-growing Catholic region in major Africa tour A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica The pontiff has been unusually forthright during his visit to conflict-hit Cameroon. The separatists say their decison reflects responsibility, restraint and respect for human dignity. The government usually refrains from commenting on the participation of its citizens in the conflict. The sentence raises huge questions marks over the political future of one of South Africa's most controversial politicians. Bellarmine Mugabe was arrested in February following the shooting of a 23-year-old man at his home in Johannesburg. The BBC speaks to a student who pushed for his toe print to be taken to verify his identity. The comments follow a high-profile spat with US President Donald Trump, who called the Pope weak on crime. Malema is appealing against the decision, which means he is not going to prison immediately.