Pope Leo XIV honors Pope Francis

The tribute was delivered as Pope Leo set off for Equatorial Guinea, the final leg of a journey marked by sharp denunciations of authoritarianism and inequality.

Leo remembered Francis as the first pontiff from the Americas who gave the Church 'so much with his words and his witness.' The Pope's visit to Equatorial Guinea presents a diplomatic challenge as he meets with the world's longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Throughout the tour, Leo has adopted a forceful speaking style, often echoing Francis's focus on social justice.