Algeria Africa Pope
Pope Leo XIV arrives at the El Mouradia Presidential Palace in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026, at the start of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa.
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Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Algeria for a first-ever papal visit, calling for peace amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. His 11-day tour includes four African nations, promoting Christian-Muslim coexistence. The trip begins with a backdrop of tension between Leo and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized Leo's papacy. Leo emphasized peace and reconciliation, rooted in the Gospel. In Algiers, he visited a monument honoring those who died in the country's independence struggle. Leo's message focuses on justice and dignity, urging forgiveness. He later plans to visit the Great Mosque and Our Lady of Africa basilica.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. military has begun a blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas, and Iran responded with threats on ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Trump had vowed earlier to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz entirely. He suggested later Monday he was willing to engage with Iran, saying he had spoken to “the other side.” This came after the he warned that Iranian warships coming “anywhere close” to the U.S. blockade would be destroyed. Ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran ended Sunday without an agreement, and it's unknown what happens when the current two-week truce expires on April 22.
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