VATICAN CITY, April 11 (V7N) – Pope Leo XIV will become the first pontiff to visit Algeria on Monday, carrying a message of dialogue with Islam and peaceful coexistence as war rages in the Middle East.  

The trip marks the start of an 11-day tour of four African nations — Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea — covering 18,000 kilometres. Algeria, where Islam is the state religion and Catholics number just 9,000, has never before hosted a papal visit.  

The journey holds personal significance for the American-born pope, who is a member of the Augustinian order. Modern-day Algeria was home to Saint Augustine (354–430), whose legacy deeply shapes Leo’s pontificate. On Tuesday, he will celebrate mass in Annaba, Augustine’s former home.  

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope’s aim is to “address the Islamic world, but also to confront a common challenge of coexistence.” Human rights groups have urged Leo to raise concerns about repression of religious minorities during his meetings with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and other officials.  

The visit has been hailed in Algeria’s press as a symbol of “soft power,” showcasing the country’s stability and role as a regional mediator. Leo will also visit the Great Mosque of Algiers, meet the Catholic community, and pray privately in memory of priests and nuns murdered during Algeria’s civil war.  

Father Fred Wekesa, rector of the Saint Augustine Basilica, said the visit is a “deeply significant moment” for Algeria’s small Catholic flock. “With the Holy Father’s visit, the whole world will see the hospitality and generosity of the Algerian people. We are capable of living together in peace,” he said.  

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