Pope Leo XIV has begun a historic visit to Algeria, marking the first time a pontiff has travelled to the Muslim-majority North African nation.
The United States-born pope arrived in the capital, Algiers, at about 09:00 GMT on Monday, according to an AFP journalist travelling with the papal delegation.
During the visit, Pope Leo is expected to pay tribute to victims of Algeria’s war of independence from France (1954–1962), as well as promote dialogue between Christian and Muslim communities.
Algeria is overwhelmingly Muslim, with fewer than 10,000 Catholics among its population of about 48 million. The visit is being described as a symbolic effort to “build bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds,” according to the Archbishop of Algiers, Jean-Paul Vesco.
The pontiff is also expected to visit key religious and historical sites, including the Great Mosque of Algiers and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, and to pray privately in a chapel dedicated to missionaries killed during Algeria’s civil war.
The trip is part of an 11-day African tour covering four countries, including Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Vatican officials say the pope will deliver about 25 speeches during the visit, addressing issues such as religious coexistence, governance, corruption, and the exploitation of Africa’s resources.
Africa remains a major hub for Catholic growth, accounting for more than half of global baptisms in 2023, according to Vatican figures.
The visit is expected to draw large crowds in later stops, particularly in Cameroon, where a papal mass is projected to attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers.
