Photo ©: Vatican Media
(ANS – Annaba) – On his second day in Algeria, Pope Leo XIV traveled from Algiers to Annaba, the ancient Hippo, where Saint Augustine—of whom Leo XIV is a spiritual son—served as bishop for 34 years. The day’s schedule included several engagements, concluding with a return to the Algerian capital in the evening after Mass.
After a flight of just over an hour, the Pope arrived at 10:32 a.m. local time in Annaba, a place he had previously visited in 2004 and 2013. He was welcomed by the Bishop of Constantine-Hippona, Michel Jean-Paul Guillaud, along with Algeria’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Culture.
The first stop was a visit to the archaeological site of Hippo, where the remains of the Roman and Christian cities are preserved, including the so-called Basilica Pacis, where Saint Augustine carried out his ministry. The Pope walked through the ruins and, at the end of the visit, laid a wreath of flowers, pausing for a brief moment of prayer. He also planted an olive tree, a symbol of peace. Leo XIV remained for several moments in deep prayer, hands clasped. At the same time, white doves were released into the rain-filled sky, while the choir of the Annaba Institute of Music sang hymns in Latin, Berber, and Algerian, with texts by the Bishop of Hippo on peace and brotherhood.
Traveling by car, the Holy Father then visited the shelter run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, where nine nuns care for around forty residents, including some Muslims and the Archbishop Emeritus of Algiers, Paul Jacques Marie Desfarges, who briefly spoke of the sisters’ “tenderness” toward the elderly.
“Listening to you and seeing your presence here among your elderly brothers and sisters, it comes naturally to praise God and thank Him,” the Pontiff replied. “Seeing a house like this,” he added, “makes one think: there is hope. Because God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, and injustice.”
In the morning, Leo XIV also held a private meeting with the community of Augustinian religious. After lunch, at the Basilica of St. Augustine, he celebrated Mass in French and encouraged the Christians of Algeria to be humble witnesses to the Gospel and to foster dialogue in daily life. “In this land, dear Christians of Algeria, remain a humble and faithful sign of Christ’s love. Bear witness to the Gospel through simple gestures, genuine relationships, and daily dialogue. In this way, you bring light and meaning to the places where you live.”
“A future of justice and peace, of harmony and salvation,” the Pope said, “is possible if we entrust ourselves to God,” even amid “problems, challenges, and trials. No matter how burdened we are by pain or sin, the Crucified One bears these burdens with us and for us.”
Before imparting his blessing, Leo XIV addressed those present with heartfelt, impromptu words: “I consider this journey a special gift of God’s providence. And it seems to me that it can be summed up in this way: God is love; He is the Father of all men and women. Let us turn to Him with humility. Let us acknowledge that the current state of the world, like a downward spiral, ultimately stems from our pride. We need Him—we need His mercy. Only in Him does the human heart find peace, and only with Him can we, together, recognizing one another as brothers and sisters, walk the paths of justice, integral development, and communion.”