Pope Leo will visit four countries across Africa from April 13 to 23, the Vatican announced yesterday, with the pontiff making his first major overseas trip in 2026 to the continent where the Catholic Church is growing fastest.
The pope will also make a one-day visit on March 28 to Monaco, the microstate on the French Riviera, and will visit Spain from June 6-12, the Vatican said.
However, skipping the continent’s most populous nation, in Africa, Leo will visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. He is expected to draw large crowds, urge world leaders to support development on the continent, and highlight efforts at Catholic-Muslim dialogue.