Speaking at the Martyr’s Memorial in Algiers, he paid tribute to those who died in the 1954–1962 war of independence and called for forgiveness as a path to reconciliation.
The trip comes at a delicate moment in Algeria’s relations with France and amid wider international tensions, adding diplomatic weight to the visit. It also opens a ten-day African tour covering Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
During his stay, the pope met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and is due to visit both the Great Mosque of Algiers and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. A ceremony in Annaba will honour religious figures killed during the 1990s civil war, highlighting the country’s Christian heritage.
Church officials say the visit aims to strengthen ties between Christians and Muslims, while rights groups have called for greater attention to religious freedom, particularly for Algeria’s small Catholic community of around 9,000 people.
