The event launched an 11 day tour across four African nations and highlighted efforts to strengthen Christian Muslim relations in a country of about 47 million people. Despite rain, the pope addressed clergy and visitors at the hilltop basilica overlooking the Mediterranean, stressing peace and coexistence at a time of global tensions.
Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, Archbishop of Algiers, who received the pontiff as host of the visit and accompanied him to key religious and symbolic sites, including the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. Known for his commitment to interfaith dialogue, Vesco has long promoted closer ties between Christianity and Islam.
