Pope Leo XIV to Visit Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea — A Pastoral Mission with Global Resonance

Pope Leo XIV will begin a landmark 10-day pastoral visit to four African nations on April 13, the Vatican announced, marking his first official pilgrimage to the continent since assuming the papacy. The tour — slated to run through April 23 — will take the pontiff to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, underscoring Africa’s rising significance within the global Catholic community, which now counts roughly one in five of its faithful on the continent.

The itinerary, as reported by Vatican News, includes visits to Algiers and Annaba in Algeria; Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala in Cameroon; Luanda, Muxima and Saurimo in Angola; and Malabo, Mongomo and Bata in Equatorial Guinea — the continent’s only Spanish‑speaking nation. The Vatican has not yet published a full official schedule of liturgies, meetings and public events.

A Historic First for Algeria
The trip will mark the first papal visit to Algeria, a country with a predominantly Muslim population and deep historical ties to Christianity through St. Augustine of Hippo. In December, Pope Leo expressed a desire to travel to Algeria, citing its spiritual and historical significance; the pontiff is a member of the Augustinian order and has repeatedly emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue in North Africa. His visit to Algiers and Annaba is expected to feature encounters aimed at strengthening Muslim‑Christian relations and highlighting shared religious and cultural heritage.

A Message of Hope in Conflict Zones
Cameroon will be a focal point of the tour, with the Pope scheduled to visit the capital, Yaoundé; the economic center, Douala; and the Anglophone city of Bamenda in the embattled Northwest region. The Northwest has endured an armed conflict for nearly a decade, and the Pope’s decision to include Bamenda signals a pastoral emphasis on consolation, reconciliation and international attention for communities affected by prolonged violence. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of Kinshasa, who leads the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, suggested in January that the trip would offer moral support to populations living in crisis. “When the Pope visits a country, especially countries in crisis like ours, it is also to give hope to the people, especially people who are suffering,” Cardinal Ambongo told Vatican News after meeting the pontiff.

Continued Outreach and Church Priorities
Though this will be Pope Leo’s first pastoral African visit as pontiff, he is familiar with the continent from his years as Cardinal Robert Prevost, when he traveled to countries including Kenya and Tanzania. His choice to prioritize Africa reflects demographic and pastoral realities: Catholicism is growing in many African nations, and the continent plays an increasingly central role in the church’s future.

The papal tour follows Leo’s first foreign trip as pope to Turkey and Lebanon late last year, where he called for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East. It also comes three years after a major papal mission in Africa: Pope Francis’ February 2023 visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Logistical details, including the program of liturgies, public audiences, and private meetings with religious and political leaders, remain pending official release. Vatican observers say the visit is likely to combine liturgical celebrations, ecumenical and interfaith encounters, and meetings focused on peacebuilding, humanitarian concerns and the church’s pastoral priorities in Africa.

With the pontiff’s presence expected to draw both local and international attention, the April tour will be closely watched for its diplomatic, religious and humanitarian impact across a diverse and strategically significant region of the Catholic world.