"It is with deep joy that I find myself in Cameroon, often described as ‘Africa in miniature’ because of the richness of its lands, cultures, languages and traditions. [...] My visit is an expression of the affection of the Successor of Peter for all Cameroonians." Pope Leo XIV spoke these words in French upon arriving in Cameroon on April 15.
Addressing the leaders of the Central African country, the 267th pope once again used French, which he understands and reads with relative fluency. This 11-day tour of Africa provides the American-Peruvian pontiff with a perfect opportunity to showcase his mastery of several languages.
An 11-day linguistic marathon
During the first stage of his trip, which was in Algeria, he delivered his speeches primarily in English, his native tongue. An interpreter provided real-time Arabic translations for his audience. However, he made an exception for his two addresses to the Catholic community in Algiers and Annaba, a coastal city in northeastern Algeria. There, he spoke entirely in French — a language that unites the diverse local community — without any need for translation.
In Cameroon, the Successor of Peter will continue to alternate between French and English. He’ll use English in Bamenda, an English-speaking area in the north of the country, which he will visit on Thursday. In total, he’s scheduled to deliver seven addresses during his stay in Cameroon.
When he travels to Angola, his third destination, the Pope will speak Portuguese. He learned the language while traveling in Brazil during his time as prior general of the Augustinians. By speaking their native language across his six addresses, he will "bring joy to the Angolan people," noted Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, while presenting the itinerary for this inaugural African trip.
Lastly, during his seven speeches in Equatorial Guinea, the Pontiff will switch to another language close to his heart: Spanish. He spoke Spanish for two decades in Peru; he also used it from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on the day of his election as a sign of affection for his adopted homeland.
A polyglot pontiff
English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish — four languages will color this international tour. Just four? That’s without counting Italian, which Pope Leo XIV spontaneously used to speak alongside the imam of the Great Mosque of Algiers on Monday. This brings the total to five languages for the polyglot pope, who didn't hesitate to call out, "Hello, soldier!" in Turkish during his trip to Turkey last November.
Clearly eager to communicate across different cultures, the new pope has also revived the tradition of offering Christmas and Easter greetings in numerous languages, including Arabic and Chinese.
Social media loves the idea that he's been spotted practicing his German on Duolingo at 3 a.m.. While we're not sure he's using the popular app, his brother has confirmed he's learning the language. In any case, Duolingo must surely already be proud!
