The Algerian Presidency announced on Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV will conduct an official visit to Algeria from April 13 to 15, marking the first visit of its kind by a Pope of the Vatican to the country.
According to a statement from the presidency, the visit follows an invitation from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The statement confirmed that this upcoming event will contribute to strengthening friendship and mutual trust between Algeria and the Vatican, opening new avenues for cooperation based on the values of peace, dialogue, and justice in response to current international challenges.
As part of the preparations, President Tebboune chaired a meeting to evaluate the work of the committee responsible for the visit’s arrangements, ensuring the necessary official and organizational measures are in place to receive the Pope.
The Vatican announced that Algeria will be the first stop on an African tour that also includes Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.
The Pope is expected to deliver an official speech during the visit and will tour the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in the capital, Algiers. He will also travel to the city of Annaba, known as the home of Saint Augustine, a key figure in Christian thought during the Roman era.
President Tebboune previously met Pope Leo XIV last July during a visit to Italy, where both sides affirmed the strength of diplomatic relations between Algeria and the Holy See. During his inauguration mass last May, the Pope expressed his desire to visit Algeria, identifying himself as a follower of the legacy of Saint Augustine.
DzWatch.
