Pope Leo XIV Set for First Algeria Visit

(MENAFN) Algeria’s presidency officially confirmed Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV will make a landmark visit to the country in April — the first ever papal trip to the North African nation — at the personal invitation of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

In a formal statement, the presidency framed the visit as a pivotal moment to “strengthen bonds of friendship, trust and mutual understanding between Algeria and the Holy See,” while expressing confidence that the trip would “undoubtedly open new horizons for cooperation” rooted in a mutual drive to advance peace, dialogue, and justice on the world stage.

A separate presidential statement confirmed that Tebboune had already chaired a preparatory meeting Wednesday to review logistical and diplomatic arrangements ahead of the visit.

The Vatican had earlier announced that Pope Leo XIV would be in Algeria from April 13 to 15 as one leg of a broader African tour also encompassing Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

Algerian media reports indicate the pontiff’s itinerary includes an official address, a visit to the historic Basilica of Notre Dame d’Afrique in Algiers, and a journey to the coastal city of Annaba — the birthplace of Saint Augustine, one of the most towering theological figures of the Roman era.

The visit carries notable personal significance. Tebboune and Pope Leo XIV met in July during the president’s trip to Italy, where the two leaders discussed deepening diplomatic ties between Algiers and the Holy See. Months earlier, at his inaugural Mass in May, the pope had personally expressed to Algeria’s ambassador his wish to visit the country, warmly referring to it as the land of Saint Augustine.

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