Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Algeria in mid-April as part of an African tour that will also take him to Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. According to Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco, the visit will be centered on peace and will not include a political agenda.
Vesco stated that the visit reflects the Pope’s longstanding connection to Algeria, the birthplace of Saint Augustine, whose legacy he has referenced. Speaking on the program “L’échiquier politique” on AL24News, Vesco said the visit had been hoped for over many years.
He noted that following his election, Pope Leo XIV expressed a desire to travel to Algeria, a country he had previously visited twice while serving as head of the Order of Saint Augustine.
According to Vesco, the Pope’s visit is intended to engage with contemporary Algerian society. He said the Pope comes as a spiritual leader conveying a message focused on peace.
Vesco explained that each papal trip is organized around a theme. For this visit, the theme is drawn from the first words spoken by Pope Leo XIV following his election: “Peace be with you.” He noted parallels between this expression and the common Arabic greeting “Assalamou alaykoum.”
The visit takes place amid recent diplomatic exchanges between Algeria and the Vatican City. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently traveled to Rome, where he held a first meeting with Pope Leo XIV, according to Vesco.
Vesco also stated that the Mediterranean region holds particular significance for the Pope, both culturally and historically.
