Violet Riquelme
On April 14, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in what was the city of Saint Augustine, the founding father of his religious Order. In the city of Annaba, in eastern Algeria, the excitement is tangible: the country has never before received a visit from a pope.
RACHID BENHADJ
Movie director
So, first of all, I think about this. It is very important for Algeria because they went through a period...of Muslim religious fanaticism. And here it is reappearing. I find the occasion fantastic because Augustine...He is one of Algeria's sons who was denied. It is also a way to recognize Saint Augustine again in front of the Algerians and to rebuild this bridge that was broken so many centuries ago.
According to Pew Research Center, it is estimated that 98% of the population in Algeria practices Islam, while the remaining percentage is Christian—a clear minority. There are barely 100,000 Christians in the country, which leads to many challenges for religious freedom and public religious expression.
RACHID BENHADJ
Movie director
In some regions where Algerians are Christian, for example, they celebrate Christmas in secret. And so, with these things (the pope's visit), everything is gradually opening up a little. They are no longer ashamed, they are not afraid to be Christian. That is why, in my opinion, this visit is also important for all Algerians.
This will be a unique opportunity for both the Algerian people and the pope to engage in interreligious dialogue while visiting some of the places that shaped the personality of Saint Augustine of Hippo, the author of the 'Confessions.'
FRANÇOIS VAYNE
Journalist and writer
The first important stop will be Pope Leo XIV's meeting with the Algerian people at the Martyrs' Mausoleum, a mauseoleum that was inaugurated in '82, twenty years after Algeria's independence.
Another moment will be at Our Lady of Africa, the Marian basilica sanctuary atop the city of Algiers, where many Muslims go to pray because of their deep love for the Virgin Mary, the only woman mentioned by name in the Quaran.
The third important site, which may be the first in Pope Leo's heart, is the Basilica of Saint Augustine.
It was during the return flight from his first apostolic journey in December that Pope Leo revealed his intention to visit the places where Saint Augustine lived. This is why his visit to Algeria will be one of the highlights of his third papal trip since becoming pope and his second in 2026.
