CT News
April 14, 2026 : Pope Leo XIV has completed the first day of his Apostolic Journey in Africa, during which he will visit Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, from 13 to 23 April.
He arrived in Algeria on Monday morning, happy to revisit the land of Saint Augustine, who, the Pope said during the flight from Rome, “offers a very important bridge in interreligious dialogue”.
After arriving in Algiers, he visited the Martyrs’ Monument, “Maqam Echahid," which commemorates those who lost their lives in the Algerian War for Independence from 1954 to 1962.
He then went to the Presidential Palace for a courtesy visit with the President of the Republic of Algeria, before addressing the country's authorities, civil society and diplomatic corps, at the Djamaa El Djazair Conference Center.
In the afternoon, Pope Leo made a short visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers, where he spent a moment of silent reflection, accompanied by the Rector, Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi. The visit to the mosque was especially significant, as Algeria is a Muslim-majority country where the Christian community constitutes a small but vibrant minority.
The Holy Father then made a private visit to the Welcome and Friendship Centre of the Augustinian Missionary Sisters of Bab El Oued. There, he paid his respects to the memory of the religious sisters who were killed between 1994 and 1996, during the Algerian Civil War, also known as the Black Decade.
Pope Leo then met with the Algerian Community at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, who greeted him with joyful cheers and music. Not even the wind and heavy rain stopped groups from following the event from outside the packed Basilica.
The Holy Father then returned to the Apostolic Nunciature, where he had a private meeting with Bishops, the final event on his intense schedule.
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