The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Bamenda, in northwestern Cameroon, left one of the most tense moments of his African trip when the issue of polygamy was raised publicly before the Pontiff right in the cathedral.
The episode took place during the Peace Encounter held at St. Joseph of Bamenda, where the traditional chief of Mankon, Fon Fru Asaah Angwafor IV, intervened. In his speech, the tribal leader thanked that, within the framework of the Synod of 2023 and 2024, African bishops were tasked with a study on polygamy and its fit in the life of the Church.
It was not a minor issue. In Cameroon, as in other countries of sub-Saharan Africa, polygamy is not only widespread but legal and part of deeply rooted traditional social structures.
The expectation of an opening
The traditional chief went further and made clear the expectation of certain sectors: that people in polygamous situations can fully integrate into the Church without being “judged or rejected”.
He acknowledged, however, that some traditional practices have disappeared over time due to their incompatibility with Christian values, but avoided clearly placing polygamy within that process of abandonment.
Immediate reaction: boos in the cathedral
The response was not long in coming. Part of the faithful present reacted with boos, showing clear rejection of any hint of flexibility on this matter.
The scene reflected a complex reality: while polygamy is part of the social fabric in some contexts, many African Catholics—far from relativizing the doctrine—clearly perceive the incompatibility between this practice and Christian marriage.
Faced with such a direct approach, Pope Leo XIV chose not to respond publicly. A silence in a scenario charged with tension and evident doctrinal implications.
The position of the African Church: clarity without concessions
In March, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) published the final report on the pastoral challenge of polygamy, in which the traditional teaching is reaffirmed.
The document states that polygamous catechumens cannot receive baptism without previously committing to monogamy. This is not an arbitrary disciplinary measure, but a direct consequence of the nature of Christian marriage.
The bishops insist that this approach does not seek to exclude, but to accompany with patience and respect, without renouncing the truth. Mercy, they emphasize, cannot be detached from conversion.