Pope Leo Visits St Augustine's Basilica on Second Day in Algeria

Pope Leo XIV travelled to the northeastern Algerian port city of Annaba on Tuesday, the second day of his 11-day, four-country Africa tour. The US-born pontiff celebrated mass for 500 faithful at the Basilica of St Augustine, where the early Christian theologian served as bishop in the fifth century. He met with members of the Augustinian Order and visited the Little Sisters of the Poor, who care for elderly residents. In remarks to reporters, the pope said he is 'not afraid of the Trump administration,' following days of public tension with President Trump, who called him 'weak' after Leo criticised the Iran war. The tour will continue to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, covering nearly 18,000 kilometres across 18 flights.

14 April 2026 · 4 sources · AI-generated, human-reviewed

What happened

Pope Leo XIV flew to the northeastern port city of Annaba on Tuesday, the second day of his first papal visit to Africa. He prayed at the archaeological ruins where St Augustine lived and then celebrated mass at the Basilica of St Augustine for 500 faithful.

The pope met with members of the Augustinian Order that maintains the basilica and had lunch with the community. He also visited the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order that cares for elderly people in need.

Why it matters: Leo XIV is the first American-born pope, and his Africa tour is the longest papal trip in recent memory. His public defiance of the Trump administration over the Iran war has turned a religious pilgrimage into a geopolitical event.

Tension with Trump

Speaking to reporters, Pope Leo said he is “not afraid of the Trump administration,” according to ACI Africa. The remark followed days of escalating rhetoric. On Sunday, President Trump called the pope “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy” after Leo criticised the US-Iran war and called for peace.

The Vatican has not escalated further but has made clear the pope will continue to speak on the conflict.

The tour ahead

After two days in Algeria, Leo will travel to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. The 11-day tour covers nearly 18,000 kilometres across 18 flights and 11 cities. It is the longest papal journey since Pope Francis’s visit to Southeast Asia in 2024.

Algeria, a Muslim-majority country of 45 million people, has a small Catholic community of fewer than 10,000. The visit is seen as a gesture of interfaith dialogue.