At the Martyrs’ Monument in Algiers, the pope’s first message on Algerian soil was an appeal for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
ALGIERS, Algeria — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria on Monday and delivered his first address in the country at the Maqam Echahid Martyrs’ Monument, where he urged forgiveness and said that “the future belongs to men and women of peace.”
The visit marked the first time a pope has set foot in Algeria. After a roughly two-hour flight, Leo traveled first not to meet diplomats or civil authorities but to the national monument honoring those who died in Algeria’s struggle for independence.
In intermittent rain, the pope laid a wreath at the monument and paused in prayer as a military band played. He then addressed those gathered, opening with the greeting: “Peace be with you! As-salamu alaykum!”
Leo said he had come to Algeria “as the successor of the apostle Peter” but “first and foremost as a brother” seeking to renew bonds of affection. Looking at the Algerian people, he said, “I see the face of a strong and young people, whose hospitality and fraternity I have experienced frequently.”
“In the Algerian heart, friendship, trust, and solidarity are not merely words but values that matter and give warmth and strength to your life together,” the pope said.
Reflecting on Algeria’s history, Leo acknowledged both its deep traditions and its painful periods of violence. “Our presence here at this monument pays tribute to this history of Algeria and to the very spirit of a people who fought for the independence, dignity, and sovereignty of this nation,” he said.
The pope then turned to his central theme: peace rooted in justice, dignity, and forgiveness.
“God desires peace for every nation: a peace that is not merely an absence of conflict but one that is an expression of justice and dignity,” he said. “This peace, which allows us to face the future with a reconciled spirit, is possible only through forgiveness.”
“The true struggle for liberation will be definitively won only when peace in our hearts has finally been achieved,” Leo added. “I know how difficult it is to forgive. However, as conflicts continue to multiply throughout the world, we cannot add resentment upon resentment, generation after generation.”
He continued: “The future belongs to men and women of peace. In the end, justice will always triumph over injustice, just as violence, despite all appearances, will never have the last word.”
Speaking in a country shaped by multiple cultures and religions, Leo said “mutual respect is the path that enables everyone to walk together” and expressed hope that Algeria would continue contributing “to stability and dialogue within the international community and along the shores of the Mediterranean.”
The pope also praised the place of faith in Algerian society, saying that “faith in God has a central place in your heritage.”
“A nation that loves God possesses true wealth, and the Algerian people cherish this jewel as one of their treasures,” he said. “Our world needs believers like this — men and women of faith who thirst for justice and unity.”
Leo warned against the false promise of material wealth, saying there are those who “search for riches that fade away, deceive, and disappoint, and which sadly often end up corrupting the human heart, giving rise to envy, rivalry, and conflict.” Quoting Christ, he asked: “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?”
He said the dead honored at the monument had already answered that question: “They lost their lives but in doing so, they gave them up for the love of their own people.”
“May their example sustain the people of Algeria and all of us on our journey, for true freedom is not merely inherited, it is chosen anew every day,” the pope said.
Leo concluded by reading the beatitudes.
The pope landed in Algiers at about 10:30 a.m. local time and was welcomed at the airport before a private greeting with Algeria’s president. Because Catholics make up only a small minority in the country, the visit is not expected to feature large crowds.
Still, the city prepared carefully for the papal arrival, with some facades refreshed, roads repaved, green spaces embellished, and large flower pots placed along part of the route.
Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, archbishop of Algiers, welcomed Leo by describing the Algerian people as proud yet marked by a painful history. He said they are “strong in their youth” while still bearing the memory of martyrs from different eras, including the colonial period, the war of independence, and the violence of the 1990s and 2000s.
Follow Pope Leo’s trip to Africa here.
Andrea Gagliarducci contributed to this article. This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
