Star Metro - Pope Leo XIV heads to Algeria, first stop of African tour

Leo is due to depart Rome Monday morning on the papal plane for the Algerian capital of Algiers, a trip aimed at continuing to "build bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds," the Archbishop of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco told AFP.

Before meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and addressing authorities and diplomats, the pope will pay tribute to the victims of Algeria's 1954-1962 war of independence against France at the Martyrs Memorial overlooking the city.

Already in Algiers ahead of the historic visit, the atmosphere of an imminent celebration pervaded the air, with walls repainted, roads repaved and green spaces adorned with plants and flowerpots.

Leo's packed trip covering 18,000 kilometres in total also includes the central African countries of Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, with the pope due to return home on April 23.

The American pope's visit coincides with war in the Middle East, which shows no signs of abating after the failure to reach an agreement between the United States and Iran.

On Saturday, Leo said "Enough to war!" in a fiery speech from St Peter's Basilica imploring warmongers to stop the violence.

But the visit to Algeria is also infused with personal significance for the Augustinian pontiff, with the country holding "a special place in his mind and heart because of St Augustine," Vesco said.

The influential fifth-century Christian theologian laid the foundations for the 13th century Augustinian order to which Leo belongs, one based on communal living and service.

In his very first speech as pope, Leo presented himself as a "son" of Augustine, whose writings he often quotes. As head of the order, before becoming pope, the former Robert Francis Prevost twice visited Algeria.

On Tuesday, the pope will visit the northeastern city of Annaba -- formerly the ancient Roman city of Hippo -- the one-time home of the saint whose autobiographical "Confessions" is a seminal work within the Christian tradition.

Father Fred Wekesa, the rector of the Saint Augustine Basilica at Annaba where Leo will celebrate mass, said the pope's upcoming visit would give his small flock a "message of encouragement and solidarity".

- 'Capable of peace' -

Monday's itinerary includes a visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers -- with the world's highest minaret -- and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, overlooking the Bay of Algiers.

Leo plans to pray privately in the chapel dedicated to 19 priests and nuns murdered during Algeria's 1992-2002 civil war.

The pope will not, however, visit the Tibhirine monastery, whose monks were kidnapped and murdered in 1996, an event still shrouded in mystery.

Wekesa lamented shadows still cast by Algeria's bloody civil war, when 200,000 people were killed in the conflict between Islamists and security forces.

Although some people still viewed Algeria "through the lens of the 'dark years'," Leo's visit will allow the world to see "the hospitality and generosity of the Algerian people," said Wekesa.

"We are capable of living together in peace."

Although Algeria's constitution guarantees freedom of worship, subject to conditions, human rights groups say the repression of religious minorities is continuing.

Three human rights groups called on Leo last week to push the issue during his visit.

L.Mitchell--SMC