Pope Leo
While the journey does not include the continent’s most populous country, Nigeria – where thousands of believers have been murdered for their religious beliefs – the journey begins in the Muslim-majority country, Algeria.
The Vatican has called the journey “A Pilgrim in Africa.” The main themes Leo is expected to address are peace, migration, the environment, youth and the family, the Holy See said. He will deliver 25 speeches in four of Africa’s major languages: French, English, Portuguese and Spanish.
POPE LEO
Pope Leo XIV visits Algeria on April 13, 2026. (Fateh Guidoum/AP Photo)
Analysts and clerics are keen to emphasize the overall importance of this visit to the continent. “I believe that the Holy Father walks with the African Church in the context of the global Church,” said Rev. Daniel Male, Secretary of the Union of Augustinian Friars of Africa, told the Religion News Service. He added: “He affirms the growth and vibrancy of the African churches and also makes a statement that the church is a preferential option for the poor and those on the margins.”
The Catholic OSV News added that the visit “highlights peace efforts, the works of mercy and the vibrant presence of the Catholic Church on the continent.”
The National Catholic Register reported that Africa had fewer than 1 million Catholics in 1910. According to the latest available figures for 2024, there are now 288 million.
Thousands of Catholics greeted Pope Francis when he visited Kinshasa, Congo, in February 2023. (Jerome Delay/AP Photo)
POPE LEO
Pope Leo (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)
Details of the trip include:
Algeria: April 13 to April 15
AFRICA’S CHRISTIAN CRISIS: HOW THE DEADLY ATTACKS OF 2025 FINALLY GOT GLOBAL ATTENTION AFTER TRUMP’S INTERVENTION
The Vatican Yearbook for 2025, the Annuario Pontificiostates that there are 8,740 Catholics in a population of 46 to 48 million. It is believed that the Pope is coming to Algeria to visit the ancient city of Hippo, now called Annaba. The city was home to Saint Augustine, the ‘church doctor’. Pope Leo is the first pope to belong to the Augustinian Order.
He is also expected to emphasize interfaith dialogue with Islam when he visits the Grand Mosque of Algiers. This is one of the largest in the world and can accommodate up to 120,000 people.
Algeria prepares for the visit of Pope Leo XIV (Fateh Guidoum/AP Photo)
The 2026 Open Doors World Watch List Algeria posted in 20th place for Christian persecution. It said 47 churches of the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) have been closed by authorities.
The Associated Press reported that Algerian authorities had rejected a Vatican request for Leo to visit Médéa to pray at the Tibhirine Monastery, the site where seven French Trappist monks were kidnapped and killed by Islamic extremists on May 21, 1996, during the country’s civil war.
Cameroon: April 15 to April 18
The Catholic EWTN organization reports that Catholics make up between 30% and 35% of the approximately 30 million inhabitants.
The Pope will preside over five public Masses and speeches in three cities. He will also meet vulnerable children at the Ngul Zamba Orphanage in the capital Yaoundé.
A local resident sits beneath hanging Catholic devotional scarves and banners, including images of Our Lady of Fatima, Jesus Christ and Pope Leo XIV, outside Our Lady of Fatima Parish, a church identified by Catholic officials as one of the sites expected to be visited by Pope Leo (Cesar Muginga/Reuters)
Angola: April 18 to April 21
The government’s last census identified some 56% of the Angolan population as Catholic.
The main part of the pope’s visit to Angola is expected to take place when he heads to the town of Muxima, where he will pray at a shrine to the Virgin Mary, known locally as ‘Mama Muxima’, or ‘mother of the heart’. It is said to be the spiritual home for many Angolans, attracting more than two million pilgrims every year.
Pope Leo XIV will visit Angola in April 2026. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)
Equatorial Guinea: April 21 to April 23
The Vatican has stated that approximately 80% of Equatorial Guinea’s population is Catholic. Leo will give several masses and speeches, and visit a new psychiatric hospital and a prison. The Jean Pierre Olie Psychiatric Hospital in Sampaka, Malabo, was only inaugurated in December and is the country’s first modern specialized mental health facility. It collaborates with the French hospital Saint-Anne in Paris.
In a potentially controversial move, the Pope will also visit a prison in Bata notorious for reports of torture and abuse of prisoners.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
