Vatican City – Pope Leo XIV has unveiled a comprehensive schedule of international travel over the next four months, highlighted by a ten-day tour of Africa and visits to Monaco and Spain. The Vatican announced the plans on February 25th, signaling a continued emphasis on global engagement during Pope Leo’s pontificate. This ambitious itinerary underscores the Pope’s commitment to both pastoral outreach and interfaith dialogue, with a particular focus on regions facing significant challenges.
The upcoming trips represent a significant undertaking for the pontiff, encompassing diverse cultural and political landscapes. The African journey, in particular, is poised to be a landmark event, marking the first visit to the continent since Pope Leo assumed the papacy. Beyond the logistical complexities, the trips are designed to address pressing global issues, including peace, poverty, and migration, while strengthening the Catholic Church’s presence worldwide. The Pope’s travels will start with a brief but symbolically important visit to Monaco.
Papal Visit to Monaco: A Historic First
Pope Leo will first travel to Monaco on March 28th for a day-long visit, the first by a pope to the principality in the modern era. The trip comes at the invitation of Prince Albert II, who previously extended an invitation to Pope Francis. According to the Vatican, Roman Catholicism is the official state religion of Monaco, with approximately 82 percent of the population identifying as Catholic. This visit underscores the close relationship between the Holy See and the small, independent city-state.
Ten Days Across Africa: Peace and Dialogue as Central Themes
From April 13th to 23rd, Pope Leo will embark on a ten-day journey across Africa, visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. The Vatican has emphasized that the overarching themes of this trip will be peace and care for the poor. The journey will also trace the footsteps of St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in Christian theology.
The first stop, Algeria, from April 13th to 15th, holds particular significance. Pope Leo has previously expressed his desire to visit the country to explore sites associated with St. Augustine and to foster dialogue between the Christian and Muslim worlds. Algeria is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, with approximately 99 percent of its 45 million residents adhering to the faith, according to the 2025 edition of the Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican’s annual yearbook. The Catholic population represents a small minority, numbering around 8,740.
The papal itinerary then moves to Cameroon from April 15th to 18th, with planned visits to Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala. The inclusion of Bamenda is particularly noteworthy, as it lies within the Anglophone northwest region of Cameroon, currently experiencing a nearly decade-long separatist conflict. The crisis, which began in 2017 with protests by English-speaking teachers and lawyers, has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement. Christianity is the predominant religion in Cameroon, practiced by over 60 percent of the population, with approximately 7.9 million Catholics, representing 27.9 percent of the country’s population.
From April 18th to 21st, Pope Leo will visit Angola, where Catholicism is the largest religious group, encompassing over 17.9 million adherents – roughly 49 percent of the population. Despite its oil wealth, Angola continues to grapple with significant poverty and economic inequality. Pope Benedict XVI last visited Angola in 2009, following St. John Paul II’s 1992 trip commemorating the 500th anniversary of its evangelization.
The final leg of the African tour will capture Pope Leo to Equatorial Guinea from April 21st to 23rd, with stops in Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata. Approximately 81.58 percent of Equatorial Guinea’s 1.37 million population is Catholic, making it one of the most Catholic nations in sub-Saharan Africa by percentage. It’s also the only Spanish-speaking country on the continent, and this will be only the second papal visit in its history, the first occurring in 1982 with St. John Paul II.
Spain and the Sagrada Família: A Centenary Celebration
Pope Leo’s international travels will conclude with a week-long visit to Spain from June 6th to 12th, with expected stops in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands. A key highlight of the Barcelona leg will be the inauguration of the newest and tallest tower of the Sagrada Família basilica. This visit coincides with the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the renowned architect of the basilica, who was declared venerable last year, a step towards potential beatification.
The Canary Islands are expected to be a focal point for discussions surrounding migration, as the archipelago serves as a major entry point for migrants crossing from Africa to Europe. Tens of thousands of migrants arrive in the Canary Islands each year, and the late Pope Francis had previously expressed a desire to visit the islands to address this issue.
In addition to these international engagements, the Vatican has announced six planned trips within Italy for Pope Leo this year, including visits to the shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, the tomb of St. Augustine in northern Italy, and the island of Lampedusa on July 4th.
The Pope’s extensive travel schedule reflects a commitment to engaging with communities around the world and addressing critical global challenges. As these trips unfold, they will undoubtedly shape the ongoing narrative of Pope Leo’s pontificate and the Catholic Church’s role in the 21st century. The Vatican has not yet released detailed logistical information regarding security arrangements or specific event schedules for each location.
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