The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo will embark on a 10-day pastoral tour of Africa from April 13 to 23, marking his first visit to the continent since his election in May, 2025, as successor to Pope Francis.
During the tour, the pontiff will visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. The journey, undertaken at the invitation of both state authorities and local Church leaders, is expected to draw massive public gatherings and reinforce interfaith dialogue, particularly between Christians and Muslims.
Detailed schedules for the visit will be released later, Vatican officials said.
Notably absent from the itinerary is Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. Instead, Pope Leo’s stops will include countries facing political and economic challenges but experiencing significant religious expansion.
The last papal journey to Africa took place in 2023, when Pope Francis travelled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. Before that, Pope Benedict XVI visited Angola and Cameroon in 2009, while Pope John Paul II made a historic trip to Equatorial Guinea in 1982.
Beyond Africa, the pontiff will make a brief stop in Monaco on March 28 and travel to Spain from June 6 to 12, where he is expected to visit the Canary Islands, a key entry point for migrants seeking to reach Europe.
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