Pope Leo XIV speaking to a group of journalists on board the papal flight to Algiers at the start of his 10-day African journey. Photo Credit: Vatican News/Instagram
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algiers at midday on Monday, 13 April 2026, marking the beginning of an 11,000-mile journey across four African nations. The visit is the first time the 70-year-old Pontiff has travelled to the continent since his election as the 267th Supreme Pontiff on 8 May 2025.
The first leg of the trip is historic, as it marks the first time a reigning Pope has ever visited Algeria. In Algiers, the Pope met with civil authorities before visiting the Great Mosque of Algiers, one of the largest in the world, to reinforce Christian-Muslim fraternity.
Speaking to the local community, the Pope delivered a strong message on the necessity of reconciliation:
God desires peace for every nation: a peace that is not merely an absence of conflict, but an expression of justice and dignity. This peace, which allows you to face the future with a reconciled spirit, is possible only with forgiveness.
He further cautioned that in a world where global tensions are rising, humanity must resist the cycle of retaliation: “We cannot add resentment upon resentment, from generation to generation. The future belongs to men and women of peace.”
During the flight from Rome to Algiers, the Pope held a candid briefing with approximately 70 journalists. Addressing recent criticism from US President Donald Trump, who had questioned the Vatican’s foreign policy stances, the Pope was firm about his non-political role. I am not a politician and I don’t want to get into a debate with Trump,” the Pope stated. “I will continue to speak out loudly against war, seeking to promote peace and multilateralism among States to find solutions to problems.
Pope Leo XIV boarding the papal plane at Fiumicino International Airport in Rome for his historic first visit to Africa. Photo Credit: Vatican News/Instagram
When asked if he feared the current US administration’s stance, he reaffirmed: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration. I will continue to speak out the Gospel message. We are not politicians… but we believe in the message of the Gospel as builders of peace.”
The Pope’s schedule involves 18 flights and 24 scheduled speeches across 11 cities. His primary stops include:
- Algeria (13–14 April): A visit to the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Annaba and interfaith meetings in Algiers.
- Cameroon (15–18 April): Travels to Yaoundé and Bamenda. A major Mass in Douala on Friday is expected to draw over 600,000 people.
- Angola (18–21 April): A visit to the Muxima Marian shrine and a local nursing home in Luanda.
- Equatorial Guinea (21–23 April): Visits to Malabo and Bata, including a psychiatric hospital and a prison, before returning to Rome.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was appointed as the 267th Pope on 8 May 2025, following the death of Pope Francis. Born in Chicago, he is the first Pope from the United States and the first from the Order of Saint Augustine. Before his election, he spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and served as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in the Vatican.
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