Pope Leo XIV has announced that he would like to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a voyage to Africa, which could be his next overseas destination.
The pope announced this on Tuesday during a press conference aboard the papal plane on his return from a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon, marking the conclusion of his first international trip as pontiff.
“I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip. Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places from the life of Saint Augustine,” he said.
According to the Vatican, a trip to Africa could also include visits to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
Leo, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, also said he would like to visit Latin America – Argentina, Uruguay, as well as Peru, where he spent more than 20 years working as a missionary.
The pontiff, who was elected pope in May, belongs to the Augustinian Order, founded in the 13th century and with nearly 3,000 members across 50 countries.
Such a visit is expected to allow the head of the Catholic Church to continue fostering dialogue and bridge-building between the Christian and Muslim worlds.
“The figure of Saint Augustine plays an important role as a bridge because in Algeria he is highly respected as a son of the nation,” the 70-year-old pontiff said.