Pope Leo XIV opened his Africa journey in Algeria on April 13 and is set to continue the 11-day trip through Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, extending a visit centered on peace, interfaith dialogue and the Catholic Church’s growing presence on the continent.

In Algiers, the pontiff called for peace and warned against “neocolonial tendencies” as he began the first-ever papal visit to Algeria as cited by AP news.

The trip’s next stages are already mapped out by the Holy See. According to the official Vatican program, Leo is due to leave Algeria for Cameroon on April 15 before continuing to Angola and Equatorial Guinea through April 23, with stops that include meetings with political authorities, church leaders and local communities.

The Algeria leg carries both pastoral and symbolic weight. Vatican coverage ahead of the journey described the visit as part of a broader effort to engage Africa on themes including peace, migration, coexistence and social justice, while also reflecting Leo’s personal Augustinian connection to St. Augustine, who was born in present-day Algeria.

In Algeria, where Catholics are a small minority in a predominantly Muslim country, Leo’s message placed Christian-Muslim coexistence at the center of the visit. His broader Africa itinerary now shifts from opening symbolism to the next phase of the tour, where the Vatican is expected to keep peacebuilding, regional stability and church outreach at the forefront.