Pope Leo XIV starts 11-day Africa tour across four states

Pope Leo XIV began an 11-day trip to Africa on Monday, May 20, 2024, with a schedule spanning Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. Officials described the journey as a major pastoral and diplomatic moment for the Catholic Church, reflecting the continent’s rising weight in the Church’s global life.

Africa now has more than 288 million Catholics, accounting for over one-fifth of the worldwide Catholic population, according to the figures cited in the tour announcement. The continent is also described as one of the Church’s fastest-growing regions, a backdrop that shapes both the scale and the messaging of the visit.

The Vatican said the Pope will stop in 11 cities across the four countries, traveling nearly 18,000 km. The itinerary is designed to combine large public liturgies with visits that highlight dialogue, conflict, and social concerns raised by local churches and civic leaders.

Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country, is the first stop. Officials said the choice reflects Algeria’s historical importance as the birthplace of St. Augustine, whose teachings have influenced Pope Leo XIV. Planned engagements include a visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, with interfaith dialogue presented as a central theme of the opening leg.

From Algeria, the Pope is set to travel to Cameroon, where the program turns to peace, migration, and social justice. In Bamenda, he is scheduled to celebrate a Mass for peace and justice in a city closely linked to the conflict between English-speaking separatists and the francophone-dominated government. The conflict has displaced over half a million people and killed at least 6,000, according to the figures cited in the briefing.

In Angola, the focus is expected to be peace and reconstruction in a country described as recovering from decades of civil war. A Mass is expected to draw 200,000 faithful, underscoring the scale of Catholic participation anticipated during the tour.

The trip is set to end in Equatorial Guinea, where the Pope is expected to address social justice issues, including human rights. The program also includes visits to a psychiatric hospital and a prison, highlighting attention to vulnerable groups and conditions of care and detention.