Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Algeria, First Stop of African Tour, to Visit Mosque and Memorial
Pope Leo XIV began an 11-day African tour, arriving in Algeria, his first stop. This marks his first significant international visit since becoming Pope and the first time a Pope has visited a Muslim-majority nation. The Pope arrived in Algiers before 9 AM GMT on the 13th, visited the Algerian Martyrs Memorial, and later met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, addressing government officials and diplomatic envoys. He is scheduled to visit the Great Mosque of Algiers and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. The visit aims to continue building bridges between the Christian and Islamic worlds. In addition to Algeria, the Pope will visit Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, returning to the Vatican on April 23.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 22:18
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 22:31 (13 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 22:43 (11 min after Collected)
Pope Leo XIV has commenced an 11-day African tour, arriving today in Algeria, his first destination. This visit is not only his first significant international trip since his election as Pope but also the first time a Pope has visited this Muslim-majority nation.
According to Agence France-Presse, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, before 9 AM GMT (5 PM Taipei time) on the 13th. The total distance of this visit is 18,000 kilometers. Besides Algeria, the Pope will also visit Central African countries such as Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, and is expected to return to the Vatican on April 23.
Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers told Agence France-Presse that the main purpose of the Pope's visit is to continue "building bridges between the Christian and Islamic worlds."
Upon his arrival in Algiers, the Pope visited the Algerian Martyrs Memorial to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during Algeria's War of Independence against France from 1954 to 1962.
At the memorial, he stated: "Here, may we remember God's desire for peace in every nation. This peace enables us to face the future with reconciliation, and it can only be achieved through forgiveness."
This was the Pope's first address after arriving in Algeria, at a time when relations between Algeria and France are highly tense.
Pope Leo XIV subsequently met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and delivered a speech to government officials and diplomatic envoys.
The Pope is scheduled to visit the Great Mosque of Algiers today, which boasts the world's tallest minaret, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, overlooking the Bay of Algiers.
He also plans to visit a small chapel to pray alone, built in memory of the 19 clergy and nuns killed during the Algerian Civil War from 1992 to 2002.
According to Reuters, the 70-year-old Pope Leo XIV is relatively young and in good health, embarking on one of the most complex papal visits in decades.
According to Vatican statistics, over 20% of the world's Catholics live in Africa. In the three sub-Saharan African countries the Pope is visiting, Catholics account for more than half of the total population in each country.
However, Algeria is predominantly Muslim, with fewer than 10,000 Catholics among its approximately 48 million people, marking the first time the country has hosted a Roman Catholic Pope.
According to Agence France-Presse, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, before 9 AM GMT (5 PM Taipei time) on the 13th. The total distance of this visit is 18,000 kilometers. Besides Algeria, the Pope will also visit Central African countries such as Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, and is expected to return to the Vatican on April 23.
Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers told Agence France-Presse that the main purpose of the Pope's visit is to continue "building bridges between the Christian and Islamic worlds."
Upon his arrival in Algiers, the Pope visited the Algerian Martyrs Memorial to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during Algeria's War of Independence against France from 1954 to 1962.
At the memorial, he stated: "Here, may we remember God's desire for peace in every nation. This peace enables us to face the future with reconciliation, and it can only be achieved through forgiveness."
This was the Pope's first address after arriving in Algeria, at a time when relations between Algeria and France are highly tense.
Pope Leo XIV subsequently met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and delivered a speech to government officials and diplomatic envoys.
The Pope is scheduled to visit the Great Mosque of Algiers today, which boasts the world's tallest minaret, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, overlooking the Bay of Algiers.
He also plans to visit a small chapel to pray alone, built in memory of the 19 clergy and nuns killed during the Algerian Civil War from 1992 to 2002.
According to Reuters, the 70-year-old Pope Leo XIV is relatively young and in good health, embarking on one of the most complex papal visits in decades.
According to Vatican statistics, over 20% of the world's Catholics live in Africa. In the three sub-Saharan African countries the Pope is visiting, Catholics account for more than half of the total population in each country.
However, Algeria is predominantly Muslim, with fewer than 10,000 Catholics among its approximately 48 million people, marking the first time the country has hosted a Roman Catholic Pope.