Pope Leo XIV Visits Algeria

Pope Leo XVI embarked on a historic 11-day tour of Africa, beginning with a two-day visit to Algeria, marking the first-ever papal visit to the Muslim-majority country. The Pope's visit is deeply personal, as he follows in the footsteps of his spiritual father, Saint Augustine of Hippo, who lived and wrote in ancient Hippo (modern-day Algeria — Annaba, Algeria). Pope Leo XVI aims to promote peace, reconciliation, and Christian-Muslim coexistence, emphasizing Saint Augustine's role as a bridge-builder. During his visit, he made a pilgrimage to the archaeological ruins in Algeria — Annaba, prayed at the Basilica of Saint Augustine, and met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The visit has been partially overshadowed by public criticism from Donald Trump, who accused Pope Leo XVI of being 'WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy' and 'toying with a country (Iran) that wants a nuclear weapon' after the Pope's calls for an end to violence in the Iran war. Pope Leo XVI dismissed Trump's comments, stating he is 'not a politician'.