By Jessica Easthope and Josephine Peterson
ANNABA, ALGERIA (CNS) – In a country marred by hardship, deep faith and hard-won independence, Pope Leo XIV pointed to Algeria as a living witness to what he called the Church’s “guiding principle above all,” a charity that transcends power, binds community and makes peace.
Throughout the first leg of his 11-day trip across Africa, the pope returned again and again to one idea: peace comes not through power or dominance, but through a sacrificial love, exemplified in Christ.
In the Basilica of St. Augustine, his spiritual father, Pope Leo presented the Christians of Algeria as an example of this aspect of the Church’s mission, asking that they remain a humble and faithful sign of Christ’s love.
“Your presence in this country is like incense: a glowing grain that spreads fragrance because it gives glory to the Lord and joy and comfort to so many brothers and sisters,” he said during his final Mass in the country April 14.
In his homily, he described a Church of charity, “where there is despair, she kindles hope, where there is misery, she brings dignity, and where there is conflict, she brings reconciliation.”
“Therefore, in the face of poverty and oppression, the guiding principle above all for Christians is charity: let us do to those around us, as we would have them do to us,” the pope said. “On the contrary, faith in the one God, Lord of heaven and earth, unites people according to perfect justice, which calls everyone to charity – that is, to love every creature with the love that God gives us in Christ.
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In his April 13 address to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the diplomatic corps, he pointed out that Algerians practice “sadaka” (meaning almsgiving and justice) “even for those of limited means,” and how their “spirit of solidarity, hospitality and community is woven into the daily lives of millions of humble and upright people.”
After being a French colony for more than 130 years, Algeria sought independence in 1954, sparking a war that left an estimated 1.5 million people dead.
The pope highlighted Algeria’s solidarity despite its years of hardship and conflict. He positioned Algeria as a teacher to economically wealthier countries, reframing what development means.
“Indeed, a religion without mercy and a society without solidarity are a scandal in God’s eyes,” Pope Leo said. “Yet many societies that consider themselves advanced are plunging ever deeper into inequality and exclusion. Africa knows all too well that people and organizations that dominate others destroy the world, which the Most High has created in order that we might all live together.”
During his address April 13 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, he spoke again on selfless love, saying the Church’s work with disabled children shows how charity transcends “material help” and creates “an authentic community, where many people share moments of joy and sorrow, united by bonds of trust, friendship and fellowship.”
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He furthered this message when speaking at a nursing home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, mirroring his repeated message that this sentiment is what builds the kingdom of God.
“Our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud,” the pope said April 14. “God’s heart is with the little ones and the humble, and with them he builds up his kingdom of love and peace, day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, friendship and life together.”
It is precisely through charity that the pope said one performs acts of martyrdom, regardless of one’s religion.
“After all, it is precisely love for their brothers and sisters that inspired the witness of the martyrs we have commemorated,” he said in the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. “In the face of hatred and violence, they remained faithful to charity even to the point of sacrificing themselves alongside many other men and women, Christians and Muslims.”
Throughout his two-day sojourn in Algeria, he spotlighted the selflessness of martyrs. Pope Leo’s first stop April 13 was the Maqam Echahid Martyrs’ Monument, which commemorates those who died during the Algerian War.
“Our presence here at this monument pays tribute to this history of Algeria and to the very spirit of a people who fought for the independence, dignity and sovereignty of this nation,” he said.
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In the beginning of his speech to the diplomatic corps, he recalled the 19 religious men and women who were martyred during the Algerian War.
By expressing this charitable love, the faithful find the ability to forgive and reconcile, ultimately leading to peace – Pope Leo’s biggest priority at the moment.
For months, Pope Leo has been relentlessly consistent on his call for peace, particularly following the conflict in the Middle East. Pope Leo presented peace not as a vague ideal, but as a moral calling, rooted in human fraternity, justice and humility.
To a country overwhelmingly Muslim – an estimated 99% identify as Sunni Islam – he emphasized that Algerians and Christians alike are brothers and sisters because they share “the same Father in heaven.”
“In a world full of conflicts and misunderstandings, let us meet and strive for mutual understanding, recognizing that we are all one family!” he said to the diplomatic corps April 13. “Today, the simplicity of this awareness is the key to opening many doors that are closed.”
From the start of his visit, he framed himself as “a pilgrim of peace.” The pope said the world cannot continue to “add resentment upon resentment, generation after generation.”
“In this place, let us remember that God desires peace for every nation: a peace that is not merely an absence of conflict, but one that is an expression of justice and dignity,” he said at the monument. “This peace, which allows us to face the future with a reconciled spirit, is possible only through forgiveness.”