The Holy See has announced the official program of the apostolic journey that Pope Leo XIV will undertake from April 13 to 23, 2026, to Africa, a tour that will take him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, with numerous liturgical celebrations, meetings with authorities, and gatherings with Catholic communities.
Algeria: between interreligious dialogue and the memory of Saint Augustine
According to the program released by the Holy See, the journey will begin on Monday, April 13, when the Pontiff will depart from Rome to Algiers, where he will be officially received by the country’s authorities.
During his stay in the Algerian capital, Leo XIV will visit the Monument of the Martyrs Maqam Echahid, hold a meeting with the President of the Republic, and address the authorities, representatives of civil society, and the diplomatic corps at the Djamaa el Djazair conference center.
The day will also include a visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers, one of the main religious centers of Islam in North Africa, as well as a meeting with the Catholic community at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa.
The following day, the Pope will travel to Annaba, where he will visit the archaeological site of Hippo, a city closely linked to Saint Augustine, one of the great Fathers of the Church. There, he will celebrate Holy Mass in the basilica dedicated to the saint.
Cameroon: encounters for peace and major liturgical celebrations
The second stage of the journey will begin on April 15, when the Pope will travel from Algiers to Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon.
In the African country, he will hold meetings with civil authorities, the diplomatic corps, and Cameroonian bishops, in addition to visiting an orphanage and various assistance centers.
One of the most significant moments will be the encounter for peace in Bamenda, a region marked in recent years by tensions and internal conflicts. There, the Pope will deliver a speech in St. Joseph’s Cathedral and celebrate a major Mass.
A massive Eucharist is also planned at the Japoma Stadium in Douala, along with a meeting with the university world at the Catholic University of Central Africa.
Angola: Marian pilgrimage and encounters with the local Church
On April 18, Leo XIV will travel to Luanda, the capital of Angola, where he will be received by the president of the country and will hold meetings with the authorities and with Angolan bishops.
During his stay, he will celebrate a major Mass in Kilamba and visit the Marian shrine of Muxima, one of the country’s most important pilgrimage centers, where he will pray the Rosary with the faithful.
The Pope will also travel to Saurimo, where he will celebrate the Eucharist and visit a home for the elderly, in addition to meeting with priests, religious, and pastoral agents in Luanda.
Equatorial Guinea: encounters with youth, families, and the cultural world
The final stage of the journey will take place in Equatorial Guinea, where the Pontiff will arrive on April 21.
In Malabo, he will hold meetings with political authorities and representatives of culture, in addition to visiting a psychiatric hospital and meeting with the country’s bishops.
He will then travel to Mongomo, where he will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and visit a technical school.
The program also includes a visit to Bata, where the Pope will go to a prison, pray before the monument commemorating the victims of the 2021 explosion, and hold an encounter with youth and families.
The journey will conclude on April 23 with the celebration of a Mass at the Malabo stadium before the Pontiff’s return to Rome.