Pope Leo XIV has expressed his desire to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a potential trip to Africa, which may become his next international journey.
Speaking on Tuesday during a press conference aboard the papal plane while returning from a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon—his first overseas trip as pontiff—he said,
“I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip. Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places connected to the life of Saint Augustine.”
The Vatican revealed that the African tour could also include visits to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
The pope, who leads the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, also expressed interest in visiting Latin America, including Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru, where he spent over 20 years as a missionary.
DAILY POST reports that Pope Leo, elected in May, is a member of the Augustinian Order, founded in the 13th century, which today has nearly 3,000 members in 50 countries.
The planned visit is expected to further the pontiff’s efforts to promote dialogue and understanding between Christians and Muslims.
“The figure of Saint Augustine plays an important role as a bridge because in Algeria he is highly respected as a son of the nation,” the 70-year-old pontiff added.
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