Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria on Monday, commencing an 11-day historic tour of four African countries. This visit, his first to Africa, includes stops in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. The pontiff is the first-ever leader of the world's Catholics to visit Algeria, a Muslim-majority nation, where he aims to help "build bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds," according to Archbishop of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco in an interview with AFP.
During his African journey, Pope Leo will focus on peace, migration, the environment, young people, and the family, as stated by Vatican officials. In Algeria, a small Catholic community of about 9,000 people, mostly foreigners, resides among a population of 47 million Muslims. In anticipation of the pope's arrival, walls were repainted, roads repaved, and green spaces decorated with plants and flowerpots in Algiers, highlighting the visit's significance.
The pope will also pay tribute to the victims of Algeria's War of Independence against France (1954-1962) at the Martyrs Memorial overlooking the city. The war claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, with official Algerian figures estimating up to 1.5 million, predominantly Algerian civilians and fighters. While Algeria's constitution recognizes "religions other than Islam" and permits worship within public order bounds, rights groups report ongoing repression. Last week, three human rights organizations urged Pope Francis to address this issue during his visit.
Pope Leo XIV, aged 70, will travel 18,000 kilometers over 11 days, taking 18 flights. He is expected to speak on corruption, authoritarian rule, and the responsibilities of political leaders, a relevant topic for the presidents of Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, who have been in power for decades. These countries are major producers of oil and minerals like gold and diamonds, yet large segments of their populations live in poverty, with some areas facing conflict and instability.
Africa is the fastest-growing region for the Catholic Church: in 2023, over half of the 15.8 million people baptized were in Africa, with more than 288 million Catholics recorded in 2024. However, the church faces challenges such as cultural norms of polygamy and ethnic rivalries, particularly in appointing bishops in ethnically diverse regions. Pope John Paul II visited Africa 15 times, while Pope Francis made five trips during his pontificate.
Source: www.dw.com