The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has embarked on a 10-day pastoral tour of Africa, beginning with a visit to Algeria where he was warmly received at Djamaa El-Djazair in Algiers by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
The Pontiff first met with political and civil authorities at the site’s Cultural Center before proceeding to his inaugural public engagement.
As part of his first official act in the country, Pope Leo XIV visited the Martyrs’ Monument, “Maqam Echahid,” which honors those who died during the Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962). There, he laid a wreath in tribute to the fallen and offered prayers for peace and reconciliation.
In his address, the Pope reaffirmed that God desires peace for all nations—a peace rooted in justice and human dignity. He encouraged the Algerian people to preserve their spiritual and cultural heritage with God at its center.
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to return to Algeria—“after having already done so twice as a spiritual son of Saint Augustine”—the Pope described his visit as a moment of renewed connection and fraternity.
“I stand before you first and foremost as a brother,” he said, “delighted to renew, through this meeting, the bonds of affection that bring our hearts closer together.”
Observing the gathering of roughly 2,000 people at the monument square, Pope Leo XIV described the Algerian people as “strong and young,” praising the values of friendship, trust, and solidarity as defining pillars of their national character—values he said are lived deeply, not merely spoken.
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