The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will embark on a ten-day international tour covering Monaco, Algeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and Spain, with visits scheduled between March and June.
This tour marks the resumption of the Pope’s international pastoral visits following his significant late 2025 tour of Turkey and Lebanon. The duration of this upcoming journey is comparable to Pope John Paul II’s 1985 visit, which included seven countries in 11 days.
The tour begins with a one-day visit to the Principality of Monaco on March 28, just before Holy Week, in response to repeated invitations from the authorities of the principality, where Catholicism is the official state religion.
The principality issued a statement on behalf of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, describing the visit as a “historic moment” and a “strong sign of hope” reflecting a spirit of dialogue and shared responsibility.
On April 13, the Pope will travel to Algeria, marking the first visit of its kind in Vatican history to the North African country with a Muslim majority. He will visit the capital, Algiers, and Annaba, the birthplace of Saint Augustine, in a stop carrying deep symbolic and spiritual significance.
Following Algeria, the Pope will visit Cameroon from April 15 to 18, traveling to Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala. His itinerary includes a visit to the Anglophone region in northern Cameroon, which has been grappling with armed conflict for several years.
He will then arrive in Angola from April 18 to 21 to visit Luanda, Muxima, and Saurimo, before concluding his African tour in Equatorial Guinea from April 21 to 23, where he will visit Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata.
From June 6 to 12, the Pope will visit Spain, starting in Madrid and then Barcelona to inaugurate the newest and tallest towers of the Sagrada Familia basilica. This coincides with the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí, who was declared a “Servant of God” by the Catholic Church last year, a first step toward sainthood.
The Pontiff will conclude his journey with a visit to the Canary Islands, specifically Tenerife and Gran Canaria. These islands are prominent transit points for migration from Africa to Europe. The Pope is known for his supportive stance on migrants, an issue that was also a priority for his predecessor, Pope Francis.
DzWatch.
