Pope Leo XIV will begin a 10-day pastoral visit to four African countries on April 13, marking his first official trip to the continent since assuming leadership of the Catholic Church, the Vatican has announced.
The Pope will travel to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, in a tour expected to focus on peace, reconciliation, and interfaith dialogue.
In Cameroon, he is scheduled to visit the capital Yaoundé, the economic hub Douala, and the Anglophone city of Bamenda in the restive Northwest region, where an armed conflict has persisted for nearly a decade. Church leaders say the visit is expected to offer hope and solidarity to communities affected by violence.
The trip will also be historic for Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country that has never hosted a papal visit. In December, the Pope expressed his desire to travel to the North African nation, describing it as the birthplace of Augustine of Hippo. As a member of the Augustinian religious order, Pope Leo XIV has previously emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
Although this will be his first pastoral visit to Africa as pontiff, he is no stranger to the continent. Before his election, as Cardinal Robert Prevost, he visited several African countries, including Kenya and Tanzania.
Africa’s growing importance to the Catholic Church is widely acknowledged. The continent is home to roughly 20 percent of the world’s Catholic population, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church.
In January, Fridolin Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa and President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), hinted at the Pope’s plans during an interview with Vatican News.
“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 said after meeting the pontiff.
The African tour follows Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon late last year, where he called for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East.
The last papal visit to Africa took place in February 2023, when his predecessor, Pope Francis, traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
According to Vatican News, the April 13–23 itinerary will include stops in 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 is yet to release the full official programme of activities for the historic tour.
