POPE Leo XIV wants to “turn the world’s attention to Africa”, according to a senior Vatican official, as he embarks on a significant tour of the continent addressing themes of peace, migration and dialogue between religions.
The 11-day trip, which starts on Monday, is Pope Leo’s second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy in May last year, and is a reflection of Africa’s increasing importance to Catholicism.
More than a fifth of the world’s Catholics are in Africa, some 288 million people, according to figures from 2024. It is one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church.
The Vatican says its latest survey shows a “remarkable increase” in the number of baptised Catholics on the continent.
Little wonder then that the trip is regarded as a personal priority for Pope Leo.
The wide-ranging tour will include stop-offs in 11 cities in four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. In all, the Pope will travel nearly 18,000 km (11,185 miles), clocking up most of the distance on 18 flights.
All but one of the countries have large Catholic populations, but he has chosen a non-Catholic country – Algeria – as his first stop, as it holds deep significance for him.
It is the birthplace of St Augustine, and Pope Leo XIV is the first pontiff from the order that follows his teachings.
The ideas of the 4th Century North African theologian, such as community and humility, have helped shape the current leader of the Catholic Church.
The Pope will go to the region where St Augustine was a bishop – formerly known as Hippo, now called Annaba – where he will celebrate Mass.
This marks the first visit by any pope to Algeria. During a speech in capital city Algiers, Pope Leo told political leaders that he had travelled to Africa “as a witness to the peace and hope that the world so ardently desires”, news agency Reuters reported.
Shortly before embarking for Africa, Pope Leo had been strongly criticised by Donald Trump, who said the pontiff was “bad for foreign policy”. The rebuke came after Pope Leo criticised Trump for threatening Iran.
In his address to Algeria’s political leaders on Monday, the leader of the Catholic Church condemned “continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies”.
He also stated: “Africa knows all too well that people and organisations that dominate others destroy the world.”