Thousands of people lined the route taken by Pope Benedict XVI from the airport to the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde on Tuesday as the spiritual leader arrived for a week-long stay on the continent.
Although it is the Bavaria-born Pontiff's 11th overseas trip since he ascended to the papal throne in 2005, it's his first to Africa. And he received a rapturous welcome, with local people turning out in force to catch a glimpse of him.
The Catholic leader, who was officially welcomed by the country's president Paul Biya, was bringing Africa's bishops a preview of the topics for the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican this October.
On Friday the 81-year-old heads for Luanda, the Angolan capital, where he'll be helping celebrate the 500th anniversary of the country's evangelisation by Portuguese Franciscan monks in the 15th century.
Photo: PA
Photo: PA
