Pope to prisoners: Human dignity and hope are never lost!

On Wednesday, April 22, Pope Leo XIV visited a prison in Bata, a city in mainland Equatorial Guinea. He encouraged inmates to experience their detention as "a space for reflection, reconciliation and personal growth." On the second day of his visit to the country, the Pope pointed out that to be effective, justice must respect the dignity of detainees. This comes as international reports have strongly criticized prison conditions in Equatorial Guinea.

This was the first time Pope Leo XIV has visited a prison since the beginning of his pontificate, a practice his predecessor Pope Francis was known for. Prisons in Equatorial Guinea have a particularly poor reputation. In a 2023 report, the U.S. State Department noted overcrowding, deplorable sanitary conditions, and the use of torture in the country's detention centers.

Many opponents of the regime of President Teodoro Obiang, who has been in power since 1979, are incarcerated in Equatorial Guinea's prisons.

Earlier in the day, during his homily at the basilica in Mongomo, the Pope prayed that there be "greater room for freedom" in the country. He had already raised the alarm about the plight of prisoners "forced to live in troubling hygienic and sanitary conditions."

Accompanied by the minister of justice, as well as the prison's director and chaplain, the 267th pope met with detainees in the facility's inner courtyard. The inmates, dressed in beige or orange uniforms, sang him a welcome song. Three of them spoke to share their testimonies and asked the Pope to pray for them.

Noting that "human dignity and hope are never lost, even in the midst of difficulties," Pope Leo XIV delivered his speech in the pouring rain. He reminded the inmates that "no one is excluded from God’s love!"

"Even when he was arrested, condemned, and put to death through no fault of his own, [Jesus] loved us to the very end," the Pope elaborated. "In doing so, he showed us that he believed in the power of love to change even the hardest of hearts."

The administration of justice aims to "protect society," but to be effective, it must "always promote the dignity and potential of every person," the 267th pope pointed out. He cautioned that true justice seeks not so much to punish as to "help rebuild the lives of victims, offenders and communities wounded by evil."

Although prison may seem like "a lonely and desolate place," the Pope suggested that incarceration can become "a space for reflection, reconciliation, and personal growth." He therefore invited prison officials to ensure that inmates are given the opportunity "to study and to work with dignity."

Mistakes are "often the result of difficult and complex circumstances," he reflected, explaining that there is always the possibility to "start over, learn, and become a new person."

With this in mind, "you are not alone," the pontiff added, reminding the detainees that their families and the Church stand by their side.

Pope Leo XIV then headed to the memorial of the March 7, 2021, explosions, a tragic accident that killed 107 people in Bata, for a moment of prayer. He then made his way to the Bata stadium to meet with young people and families waiting for him in the driving rain. Afterward, he caught a flight back to Malabo.