Pope Leo XIV visited on this April 14 the welcoming home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Annaba, as part of his apostolic journey through Africa. According to the Holy See, the visit took place after a day marked by the transfer from Algiers and a stop at the historic site of Hippo, closely linked to Saint Augustine.
The Algerian stage is part of the trip that the Pontiff is undertaking from April 13 to 23, with stops also in Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.
From Algiers to Annaba: start of the day
The day began early in the morning, when the Pope traveled to Algiers International Airport. At 9:38, he departed for Annaba aboard an Air Algérie flight, landing at 10:32, where he was received by local authorities.
From there, he went directly to the archaeological site of Hippo, the ancient Roman city where Saint Augustine served as bishop for more than thirty years.
Prayer before the memory of Saint Augustine
In Hippo, Leo XIV toured the ruins of the ancient complex and, at the end of the tour, deposited a wreath of flowers in memory of the saint. The gesture was accompanied by the singing of a local choir.
The Pontiff paused in prayer at this emblematic place for the history of Christianity in North Africa, thus underscoring the continuity between the patristic tradition and the life of the Church today.
Visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor
After the visit to Hippo, the Pope traveled to the welcoming home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, where he was received by the superior of the community.
In the main hall, he met with about forty people cared for at the center, along with the nuns and staff. During the meeting, the emeritus Archbishop of Algiers, Monsignor Paul Desfarges, and a Muslim resident spoke, before the Pontiff’s greeting.
“Where there is love and service, there is God”
In his address, Leo XIV emphasized the spiritual value of service to the elderly: «I am happy because God dwells here, because where there is love and service, there is God».
The Pope thanked the work of the nuns and the staff, highlighting that places like this keep hope alive in a world marked by conflicts and injustices.
He also referred to the testimony shared during the meeting, noting that experiences of fraternity like the one lived in the home show that “there is still hope”.
Meeting with the Augustinian community
After personally greeting the elderly, the Pontiff traveled to the house of the Augustinian community, where he held a private meeting with the members of the order and shared lunch with them.
The day in Annaba has thus been marked by three significant moments: the memory of Saint Augustine in Hippo, the meeting with the elderly cared for by the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the contact with the Augustinian family, in a single line of reference to tradition, service, and community life.