Pope Leo XIV will embark on a 10-day trip through Africa, visiting four countries in what is considered a significant journey for Catholics on the continent.
The itinerary includes Algeria in north Africa, followed by Angola, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea in western Africa from April 13 to 23.
According to recent statistics published in October, the number of Catholics increased by more than 15 million worldwide from mid-2022 to mid-2023, with more than half of those in Africa. Although African cardinals are underrepresented in senior leadership, Africa produces more trainee priests than any other continent. About one-fifth of the population in Africa is Catholic.
Pope Paul VI visited Uganda in 1969, and John Paul II traveled to Africa 13 times during his papacy. Benedict XVI visited the continent twice, and Francis traveled there four times.
Leo visited Africa many times before becoming pope as the leader of the Order of St. Augustine. The order follows the teachings of Augustine of Hippo, who was born in what is now Algeria in the year 354.
On a recent trip to Lebanon and Turkey, Leo stated he would like to visit Africa, specifically Algeria, to visit St. Augustine sites and to continue building bridges and dialogue between the Christian and Muslim worlds.
The visit will include Algiers and Annaba in Algeria. Annaba stands on the site formerly known as Hippo.
As the first Augustinian pope, he is expected to emphasize missionary outreach and the importance of listening before making decisions, both of which are central to the Augustinian order.
“The Holy Father will certainly be inspired by this search for communion and dialogue,” said Pierantonio Piatti, a historian with the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences. Piatti noted that another key element of Augustinian spirituality is a “search for balance between action and contemplation, between contemplation and action.”
The pontiff will then visit Cameroon, stopping in Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala. He is scheduled to visit the Anglophone region in the north of Cameroon, where a civil war involving regular armed forces and separatists has been underway for 10 years.
He will then travel south to Angola, visiting Luanda, Muxima, and Saurimo, before heading to Equatorial Guinea to visit Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata. Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking African country.
The trip is focused on peace, and the pontiff will pay particular attention to the poor and those who care for them in developing countries.
On March 28, the pope will take a day trip to Monaco for his first trip of 2026. It will be the first papal trip to the principality in the modern era.
The principality is a European state where Catholicism is the state religion and where dialogue between civil institutions and the Church remains a matter of importance in public debate. The visit also highlights the principality’s commitment to peace.
From June 6 to 12, Leo will visit Spain, stopping in Madrid and Barcelona. In Barcelona, he will inaugurate the new central tower of the Sagrada Familia, the monumental basilica that will be complete after 144 years. The visit falls on the 100th anniversary of the architect Gaudi’s death, who was declared a Venerable Servant of God last year.
DzWatch.
