Pope Leo warns against syncretism weeks after 1995 Pachamama ritual revelations

On April 16, Pope Leo delivered a homily at the International Airport of Bamenda, in Cameroon, addressing the challenges facing the Catholic faithful in a context marked by religious diversity and cultural pressures. The Pope urged Catholics to remain faithful to the Church without compromising with external beliefs or internal distortions, warning especially against the risks associated with religious syncretism and its possible ideological or economic exploitation.

“Obey God, not human beings. To obey him, because he alone is God. This calls us to foster inculturation of the Gospel. It also calls us to be vigilant, even regarding our own religious practices, so as not to fall into the trap of mixing the Catholic faith with other beliefs and traditions of an esoteric or Gnostic nature, which in reality often serve political and economic ends,” the Pope said.

In his address, Pope Leo focused on the need for discernment among believers, especially in environments where multiple religious traditions coexist. He identified the blending of Catholic doctrine with non-Christian elements as a concrete danger, insisting that such combinations are not neutral phenomena. According to his remarks, these practices may conceal ulterior motives, stating that they “often serve political and economic purposes,” suggesting that religious language or symbolism can be instrumentalized for objectives unrelated to the Gospel.

At the same time, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged the legitimacy of the “inculturation of the Gospel,” understood as the process by which the Christian message is expressed within different cultural contexts. He affirmed that this process is necessary, especially in regions such as Africa, where longstanding traditions shape social and religious life.

However, according to Leo, there would be a clear distinction between inculturation and syncretism. While the former seeks to communicate the Gospel without altering its substance, the latter introduces elements that are incompatible with Catholic doctrine.

Pope Leo further elaborated on the concept of freedom, linking it directly to obedience to God. “In fact, obeying God is not an act of submission that oppresses us or nullifies our freedom; on the contrary, obedience to God sets us free, because it means entrusting our lives to Him and allowing His word to inspire our way of thinking and acting,” the Pope said.

Although the homily was delivered in Cameroon, its content was presented in a manner that extends beyond the immediate local context. The issues identified by the Pope – particularly the blending of religious traditions and the influence of esoteric and non-Christian ideologies – are part of a broader phenomenon affecting not only African societies but also Eastern and Western regions.

Despite the Pope’s warning against religious syncretism, in recent months the Holy See has appointed several bishops known for promoting precisely this kind of blending of religions. LifeSiteNews has reported on various such cases, including Agnelo Pinheiro, the new bishop of Sindhudurg (India), and Anton Sipuka, the new bishop of Cape Town (South Africa), who has openly considered introducing a pagan mediumistic rite into the Catholic Missal.

Pope Leo’s remarks also come exactly one month after LifeSiteNews published an exclusive report revealing that Robert Prevost himself, as a young priest, had taken part in a ritual honoring the Andean goddess Pachamama in Brazil, back in 1995. As is widely known, a similar ceremony was later brought inside the Vatican by Pope Francis on October 4, 2019.

More generally, Pope Leo XIV has displayed a marked openness toward non‑Catholic religions. A telling example is the message of congratulations he sent on March 20, 2026, to the new Anglican Primate of England, Sarah Mullally, who is publicly pro‑abortion and pro‑LGBT.

“I know that the office for which you have been chosen is a weighty one … In asking the Lord to strengthen you with the gift of wisdom, I pray that you may be guided by the Holy Spirit … and draw inspiration from the example of Mary, the Mother of God,” the Pope wrote on that occasion.

Even more significant, in the apostolic letter In Unitate Fidei, issued for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, Pope Leo presented the Creed without the Filioque to promote dialogue with Eastern schismatics, arguing that “we must therefore leave behind theological controversies that have lost their raison d’être … in order to develop a common understanding and, even more, a common prayer to the Holy Spirit.”

During his recent apostolic journey to Algeria, Pope Leo also posted on X an appeal to foster a “communion between Muslims and Christians.”