Pope Leo XIV described his two-day stay in Algeria as a ‘truly blessed visit and journey’ and ‘a beautiful opportunity to continue building bridges and promoting dialogue,’ he told dzwatch during the flight departing Algiers toward Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Speaking to around 70 journalists aboard an ITA Airways Airbus, the Pope expressed deep gratitude toward Algerian authorities, calling their hospitality ‘a sign of goodness, generosity, and respect that the Algerian people and government wished to show to the Holy See and to me personally.’
He described Algeria’s Catholic Church as ‘small but very significant’ and highlighted visits to the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers and the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Annaba. He also emphasized the historic importance of his visit to the Grand Mosque of Algiers, stating it proved that ‘despite differences in beliefs, we can live together in peace.’ This marks the first-ever papal visit to Algeria.
