Pope Leo XIV will make history on Monday as the first pontiff to visit Algeria, delivering a message of dialogue with Islam during a trip that also carries deep personal significance.
Algeria marks the first stop on an 11-day tour across four African nations, which will also take him to Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea from April 13 to 23.
No previous pope has visited Algeria, where Islam is the state religion and roughly 99 percent of the population is Muslim. The 70-year-old pontiff’s arrival is being keenly anticipated by the country’s small Catholic community.
The visit also carries strong personal meaning. Modern-day Algeria was home to Saint Augustine (354–430), one of Christianity’s most influential thinkers, whose legacy continues to shape Leo’s pontificate.
With global attention focused on ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the pope is expected to centre his message on peaceful coexistence and interfaith dialogue.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the visit aims not only to engage the Islamic world but also to address the broader challenge of coexistence.
Algeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of worship, although authorities must approve both places of worship and religious leaders. However, human rights groups say restrictions on religious minorities have persisted in recent years.
Three organisations — Human Rights Watch, EuroMed Rights, and MENA Rights Group — issued a joint letter last week urging the pope to raise these concerns during his visit.
Soft power and symbolism
The trip has been widely praised in local media for its “symbolic and historical significance,” extending far beyond Algeria’s estimated 9,000 Catholics.
State-run daily El Moudjahid described the visit as a reflection of Algeria’s “soft power,” highlighting the country’s stability, its role as a regional mediator, and its ability to engage constructively on the global stage.
In Algiers, the pope is scheduled to meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and address government officials and members of the diplomatic corps.
No large public appearances are planned in the capital, and the popemobile will remain at the airport, according to local reports.
Later in the day, he will visit the Great Mosque of Algiers, one of the largest mosques in the world, and meet members of the Catholic community.
He will also hold a private prayer in a chapel dedicated to 19 priests and nuns killed during Algeria’s civil war (1992–2002). However, he is not expected to visit the Tibhirine monastery, where monks were kidnapped and murdered in 1996 in circumstances that remain unclear.
A ‘son’ of Saint Augustine
One of the most symbolic moments of the trip will come on Tuesday, when the pope travels to Annaba, once home to Saint Augustine, where he will celebrate Mass.
Since his election on May 8, 2025, following the death of Pope Francis, Leo has described himself as a “son” of Augustine.
Born Robert Francis Prevost, he is a member of the Augustinian order, founded in the 13th century and rooted in ideals of communal living and shared spiritual life.
Father Fred Wekesa, rector of the Saint Augustine Basilica in Annaba, described the visit as a “deeply significant moment” for the local Catholic community.
“All too often, some people view this country only through the lens of the ‘dark years’,” he said, referring to Algeria’s civil war, which claimed around 200,000 lives.
“With the Holy Father’s visit, the world will see the hospitality and generosity of the Algerian people,” Wekesa added. “We are capable of living together in peace.”
AFP
