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    November 19, 2011

Pope Urges Benin Leaders to Respect Hopes of the People

   VOA News
   Benin President Boni Yayi, center, walks with Pope Benedict XVI past an
   honor guard as the Pope arrives at the presidency in Cotonou, Benin,
   November 19, 2011.
   Photo: AP
   Benin President Boni Yayi, center, walks with Pope Benedict XVI past an
   honor guard as the Pope arrives at the presidency in Cotonou, Benin,
   November 19, 2011.

   Pope Benedict XVI appealed to African leaders on Saturday, his second
   day in Benin, to stop robbing their people of hope.
   Benedict told political and religious leaders at the presidential
   palace in Benin's commercial capital of Cotonou not to cut off the
   people "from their future by mutilating their present."
   The highlight of the pontiff's three-day trip will come later Saturday,
   when he presents the Catholic Church's plans for Africa, home to the
   world's fastest-growing Roman Catholic population.
   The pope will also formally sign an apostolic exhortation - a document
   calling for peace, justice and reconciliation throughout Africa.
   The document is based on recommendations from African church leaders
   who studied the continent's challenges including conflict, poverty and
   corruption. The pope said he chose Benin as the venue to deliver his
   document because of the country's exemplary peaceful co-existence
   between Christianity, Islam and traditional religions.
   Despite Benin's strong voodoo tradition, the Catholic population in the
   small West African country has surged to 30 percent in recent years.
   While in Benin, the pope is also expected to meet with leaders of
   traditional religions.
   Pope Benedict was warmly greeted by thousands of people on his arrival
   in Cotonou on Friday. Many women wore dresses with the image of the
   84-year-old pontiff's face printed on them.
   This is the pope's second trip to Africa. In 2009, he traveled to
   Cameroon and Angola.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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