Pope Leo XIV expressed his desire to visit Algeria. He said during a press conference on Tuesday, December 2nd: “I personally hope to travel to Algeria, to visit the places associated with the life of Saint Augustine. And to continue the dialogue and build bridges between the Christian world and the Islamic world.”
The Pope’s statement came while he was on board the plane returning from his first foreign visit, which included Turkey and Lebanon. This comes as part of his efforts to build bridges between the Christian and Islamic worlds, especially in North Africa, which has historically witnessed deep religious and cultural interactions.
Furthermore, the potential visit by the Pope represents an opportunity to strengthen relations between the Vatican and Algeria, at diplomatic and cultural levels, serving the dialogue between religions and communities.
The Algerian authorities welcomed this announcement, considering it reflects the Vatican’s interest in promoting dialogue and understanding between religions. The statement also received widespread acclaim from scholars and intellectuals in Algeria, who saw that such a visit could contribute to enhancing cultural and religious exchange between the two nations’ peoples.
Algeria is distinguished by a rich history spanning centuries of interaction between cultures and religions. It was the setting for the life of Saint Augustine, one of the most prominent Christian figures in history, who spent part of his life in the city of Hippo, in the northern part of the country.
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