Pope on St. Augustine for Muslims and visiting mosques

After receiving military honors, the Pontiff headed directly to the presidential palace, located about 12 miles away. There, he held a private meeting with President Paul Biya before delivering a speech to the country’s leaders.

Late in the afternoon of his first day in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV will visit the Ngul Zamba orphanage. He will also meet privately with the country’s bishops at the headquarters of the episcopal conference. Finally, he’ll head to the apostolic nunciature, where he’ll spend the night.

At the start of the flight, the Pope came into the cabin to greet the 67 journalists on board, including the I.Media agency. Speaking in English for several minutes, he offered an assessment of his "very blessed" trip to Algeria. He first expressed his gratitude to the authorities, pointing out that the aerial escort flanking the papal plane to the border was a sign of the Algerian people's "goodness, generosity, [and] respect" for the Holy See. Fighter jets had also escorted him on Tuesday for his stop in Annaba, a coastal city in northeastern Algeria.

The pontiff also praised the "very small but significant" presence of the Catholic Church in Algeria, which consists of only a few thousand faithful. He then recalled his visit to Annaba, the site of ancient Hippo, the diocese of his spiritual father St. Augustine. In this context, the Pope highlighted the important legacy of this philosopher and theologian. He explained that Augustine's "writings, teachings, spirituality, [and] invitation to search for God and to search for truth" represent a "a message that is very real for all of us today as believers in Jesus Christ, but for all people."

"Even the people of Algeria, the majority of whom are not Christian, greatly honor and respect the memory of St. Augustine as one of the great sons of their land," remarked the Pope, who himself shares an Augustinian spirituality. He offered the fifth-century bishop's efforts "for unity among all people [...] despite differences" as a model to follow.

Pope Leo XIV also reflected on the meaning behind his visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers on Monday, marking the second mosque he has visited since his election. He emphasized that it is important "to promote that kind of image" to show that "although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshiping, different ways of living, we can live together in peace."

This is a message that "the world needs to hear today," he concluded, expressing his hope to continue working toward dialogue throughout the rest of his trip.

At the end of the only public Mass he celebrated in Algeria, he reflected on Augustine's role for the country, noting that "here Saint Augustine loved his flock, fervently seeking the truth and serving Christ with ardent faith."

"Be heirs to this tradition, bearing witness through fraternal charity to the freedom of those born from above as a hope of salvation for the world," he said, and in brief words of farewell, he added: