By MKHOKHELI ZIBENGWA
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will undertake a significant Apostolic Journey to four African nations from April 13 to April 23, 2026. The visit will take him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea as part of his ongoing global pastoral mission.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the 11-day trip will feature a packed programme including public addresses, Mass celebrations, pastoral visits and meetings with political leaders, church officials and local communities across 11 cities.
The Pope’s journey will begin in the Algerian capital, Algiers, where he is scheduled to meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and address civil society representatives. He will also visit key religious and historical sites, including the Great Mosque of Algiers and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, before travelling to Annaba to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine.
From Algeria, the pontiff will proceed to Cameroon, arriving in Yaoundé on April 15. There he is expected to meet President Paul Biya, visit an orphanage and hold discussions with the country’s Catholic bishops. His itinerary will further include peace engagements in Bamenda, a major Mass gathering in Douala and an academic address at the Catholic University of Central Africa.
The third leg of the tour will take the Pope to Angola, where he will hold talks with President João Lourenço and celebrate Mass in Kilamba. He will also visit the Marian shrine at Muxima and travel to Saurimo to meet elderly residents at a nursing home and lead a public worship service.
The final stop will be in Equatorial Guinea, where the pontiff will meet President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and participate in several pastoral and humanitarian visits. These include a prison outreach in Bata and a prayer moment at a memorial site honouring victims of the 2021 military base explosions.
The Apostolic Journey will conclude on April 23 with a closing Mass in Malabo before the Pope returns to Rome. Vatican officials say the visit aims to strengthen interfaith dialogue, promote peace and encourage social development initiatives across the African continent.
This marks Pope Leo XIV’s third international trip outside Italy since the start of his pontificate and highlights the Vatican’s continued focus on engagement with African nations.
