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The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will begin a 10-day pastoral tour of Africa on Monday, April 13, marking his first official visit to the continent since becoming head of the Catholic Church. His itinerary includes Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.
In Cameroon, the Pope will visit Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda in the conflict-hit Northwest region. Notably, this will be the first papal visit to Algeria, a majority-Muslim nation and birthplace of St Augustine of Hippo, reflecting the Pope’s commitment to interfaith dialogue.
The trip underscores Africa’s growing importance to the Catholic Church, which is home to about 20% of the global Catholic population. Church leaders have emphasized that papal visits often bring hope to nations facing crises.
The tour, scheduled from April 13 to 23, will include stops in Algiers and Annaba (Algeria); Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala (Cameroon); Luanda, Muxima, and Saurimo (Angola); and Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata (Equatorial Guinea). The official program of activities is yet to be released
Source: citinews
