Pope Leo XIV (C) delivers his speech as he leads the mass of Jubilee of Choirs and Choral Society at St Peter's Square in The Vatican on Sunday. AFP
"I learned with immense sadness the news of the kidnappings of priests, faithful, and students in Nigeria and Cameroon," he said.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Saturday said gunmen had kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in raids on two schools in the country.
"I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages," Leo said, expressing his "deep sorrow, especially for the many young boys and girls kidnapped and for their anguished families".
Gunmen on Monday stormed a secondary school in Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls. That was followed by an early Friday raid on St Mary's co-education school in Niger state.
The two abduction operations and an attack on a church in the west of the country, in which two people were killed and dozens abducted, came as US President Donald Trump threatened military action in Nigeria.
Nigeria is still scarred by the kidnapping of nearly 300 girls by Boko Haram jihadists at Chibok in northeastern Borno state more than a decade ago. Some of those girls are still missing.
Short link: