POPE LEO IN ALGERIA: Strengthening the mission of a small but vibrant Church

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria on April 13 for a historic visit that was focused on the small but vibrant local Church and the role of dialogue between Christians and Muslims. After his visit to Algiers, the Holy Father visited Hippo (modern-day Annaba) , visiting sites associated with St. Augustine, before continuing his trip through Africa.

A delegation of ACN staff, currently in Algeria visiting projects supported by the foundation, have emphasised the symbolic and spiritual significance of the trip, which they extended due to the papal visit. The organisation has been supporting this discreet yet dynamic Church for years, a Church characterised by witness, dialogue, and fraternity. 

The delegation highlighted the strong impact of the visit and explained that the Algerian capital has welcomed the Pope with a notable presence of Vatican flags alongside Algerian ones, as well as official images of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune with the pontiff, reflecting the importance that the country attaches to this historic trip.

Prayer, charity, and unity

During his initial remarks, Pope Leo focused his message on three main themes: prayer, charity, and unity . Representatives of ACN emphasised that the Holy Father particularly stressed prayer as the foundation for encounter between Christians and Muslims , citing the historic speech of Saint John Paul II in Casablanca in 1985.

Another significant moment was the Pope’s reference to Tibhirine , where Trappist monks were murdered in 1996. The Holy Father specifically mentioned Brother Luc, the community’s doctor, highlighting his witness of service and closeness to the local population. According to ACN members present in the country, this gesture reflects a vision of interreligious dialogue centered on shared life and concrete witness.

During his address at the Basilica of Notre-Dame d’Afrique , the Pope offered a profound reflection on Saint Charles de Foucauld , after the Bishop of Ghardaïa presented him with relics of the saint. This moment reflects the pontiff’s interest in the spiritual history of the Church in North Africa.

In the basilica, the Pope lit a candle and prayed before the icon of the 19 martyrs of Algeria , killed between 1994 and 1996 and canonized in 2018. Among them are—in addition to the seven monks of Tibhirine—Bishop Claverie, former Bishop of Oran and a leading figure in interreligious dialogue, and his driver, the Muslim Mohamed Bouchikhi, who is depicted next to a mosque. Both were killed on August 1, 1996. 

This powerful gesture underscores the vital importance of religious freedom in a context that remains tense today. The visit has been marked by security challenges in the country; security forces thwarted two assassination attempts.

The ACN delegation was also struck by the musical interlude before one of the speeches, featuring an Andalusian-style song inspired by interfaith dialogue initiatives. 

A small but vibrant Church

Christians constitute a very small minority in Algeria. The Pope’s visit has particular significance for the country’s Catholic Church, a small but dynamic community. 

In the case of the Diocese of Oran , for example, Bishop Davide Carraro explained to ACN that there are between 400 and 500 Christians in a population of about 10 million, coming from some 20 to 30 different nationalities. This diversity shapes “a mosaic Church” and “a Church in transit,” largely made up of African migrants and students.

Monsignor Davide Carraro further describes this reality as “a young Church,” characterised by cultural diversity, fraternity, and daily witness in the midst of Muslim society.

According to Bishop Michel Guillaud of Constantine-Hippo , around 80% of the faithful are sub-Saharan students , which makes the local Church a dynamic, but also itinerant and multicultural community .

Serving all of society

Beyond the papal visit, the Church in Algeria continues to develop numerous social and cultural initiatives open to all. In Oran, for example, the Pierre Claverie Center offers educational activities, workshops for women, assistance to those in need, and cultural activities, mostly aimed at the Muslim population.

This silent work reflects the role of the Church as a presence of fraternity and dialogue, a mission that Pope Leo XIV wanted to highlight with his visit.

ACN supports the Church in Algeria through training projects, pastoral assistance, and infrastructure renovations. In the Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa, the foundation has contributed to the renovation of the White Fathers’ house in Adrar. ACN is also supporting the acquisition of vehicles for the Dioceses of Constantine and Oran, in addition to providing subsistence aid. In Oran, the foundation has contributed to the renovation of the archbishop’s residence , the site where Archbishop Pierre Claverie, an emblematic figure of interreligious dialogue, was assassinated in 1996.