Vatican spokesman previews Pope’s impending trip to Africa

April 10, 2026

The director of the Holy See Press Office briefed journalists on Pope Leo’s upcoming apostolic journey to four African nations and described the trip as a “journey through the richness and diversity of this great continent, populated by diverse peoples and worlds.”

The Pope’s April 13-23 apostolic journey will take him to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. It will be the third apostolic journey of his pontificate: the first was his trip to Turkey and Lebanon (November 27-December 2); the second, his trip to Monaco (March 28).

During the April 9 press conference, Matteo Bruni said that the papal delegation on the trip will include

• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization
• Cardinal George Koovakad, the prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue
• Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
• Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
• Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, the new sostituto

Bruni said that in Algeria, a “land of ancient and modern Christian witness” and a “land of great suffering,” Pope Leo will visit places associated with St. Augustine and continue his dialogue with the Muslim world. Bruni revealed that in Algeria, the Pope will refer to the “risk of resource exploitation by individuals or organizations.”

Bruni described Cameroon as “an Africa in miniature” and “a country facing complex trials”; some of its youth, he added, have succumbed to the “poison” of fundamentalism. The Pontiff, he said, will speak about peace and environmental issues.

Bruni then described Angola as the “very heart of African Christianity.” The Vatican newspaper reported that “peace, human and natural resources, youth, and the lingering wounds of corruption, exploitation, and colonialism will serve as the central themes” of the journey there. Bruni added that the Church in Equatorial Guinea is committed to “upholding and building a culture of peace.”

Responding to journalists’ questions about security concerns, Bruni said that “no special measures are planned” and that “the standard security protocols are deemed sufficient.”

The Vatican also released statistics on the life of the Church in the four nations, as well as the missal for the apostolic journey.

 

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Further information:

• Pellegrino tra popoli e mondi diversi (L'Osservatore Romano, 4/9/26)
• Pope Leo XIV: A pilgrim in Africa (Vatican News, 4/9/26)