By Currents News
Eight public speeches, seven Masses, and 11 African cities make up Pope Leo XIV’s trip across Africa.
It is expected to be marathon of meetings, celebrations, and visits, according to the Vatican.
The Holy Father’s first stop will undoubtedly be one of the most special moments: the Augustinian pope will go to Algeria, where the founder of his Order, Saint Augustine of Hippo, once lived.
It’s a visit Pope Leo XIV made clear would happen some time ago.
“Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places connected with the life of Saint Augustine and to continue promoting dialogue and the building of bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds,” he previously said.
It is estimated that less than 1% of the population of Algeria is Catholic.
The pontiff will meet with this community at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. He will also visit the Djamaa el Djazair, one of the largest Islamic places of worship in the world.
Pope Leo XIV will also stop at the Maqam Echahid, dedicated to those who died during the Algerian War of Independence against France.
The trip will then continue to Cameroon, a country that has both French and English as its official languages and where roughly one third of the population is Catholic.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI visited the country in 2009.
While in Cameroon, Pope Leo will focus on meetings with political and Church authorities. He will also visit an orphanage, promoting the protection and education of the most vulnerable children.
He will additionally go to the St. Paul Catholic Hospital, highlighting the Catholic Church’s social work.
Pope Leo XIV will also pray for peace, and plans to hold a meeting and celebrate Mass at the international airport. He aims to send strong message of peace in a country where internal conflicts are still persistent.
The penultimate country of the trip will be Angola, which Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI also visited. It is a Portuguese-speaking nation with a Catholic majority.