Though he travelled to four countries during his apostolic visit to Africa, it was Algeria that held particular significance for Pope Leo XIV. There, he visited the city of Annaba, which once was Ancient Hippo where St Augustine served as Bishop in the 4th century. Since the start of his pontificate the Holy Father has highlighted the importance of his Augustinian background, referring to himself as ‘a son of St. Augustine’. Fr. Juan Antonio Cabrera Montero, President of The Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum, sat down with EWTN to explain what this trip meant for both the Pope and the people of Algeria.
Pope Leo is the first pope to visit Algeria, and it ties in very closely to his Augustinian background. What is the connection between Algeria and Saint Augustine?
Saint Augustine was born in Tagaste, now Souk Ahras, which is a small city in the easternmost region of present-day Algeria. Naturally, in the fourth and fifth centuries Algeria did not exist as a state, but today the birthplace and place of study of Saint Augustine are in Algeria.
He also established his episcopal seat there. So, for Algerians—even though the vast majority of them are Muslim—Saint Augustine is considered an Algerian. As a result, the connection with him, at least on a cultural or symbolic level, is very deep.
In fact, there was a lot of joy—they were very pleased when the Pope, in his first greeting on May 8, introduced himself as a son of Saint Augustine, which is, in a way, like presenting himself as a son of Algeria as well.
What is the current situation of the Catholic Church in Algeria, and what does it mean for them that the Holy Father went to visit?
The Christian community—and the Catholic community in particular—is a very small minority in Algeria, and living the Christian faith has also been very difficult for them. There have even been times of real persecution. So the fact that the Pope goes to visit them means bringing them back into visibility within society, placing them in their context again, and saying: well, you are a minority. But the Church does not forget you; naturally, we are with you.
What does it mean for you and your order that Pope Leo XIV is sticking to his Augustinian roots and visiting a place that’s deeply connected to the life of St Augustine?
Naturally, for us it is a great joy. He is the Pope, the Holy Father, but he will never be able to forget what he has been—until May 8 of last year, that is, an Augustinian. So, naturally, he will live out his new ministry, his new role, in service to the Church.
Naturally, from an Augustinian perspective as well—not only, of course, because he is the Pope of everyone and not just of the Augustinians—but for us it is certainly also very important, and it is a reason for pride and satisfaction to know that…
The Holy Father, the current Pope, shares with us that spirituality of Saint Augustine—that way of seeing the world and also of understanding the Church through the spirituality, theology, and pastoral vision of Saint Augustine.
Throughout his Pontificate so far, Pope Leo has mainly focused on advocating for peace, especially recently in the Middle East. Do you think that he has drawn inspiration from Saint Augustine of Hippo to have this worldview and to promote peace around the world?
Saint Augustine’s time was very different, but also full of conflict. In fact, when he died in the year 430, the Vandals were besieging the city of Hippo, and they would later go on to occupy all of North Africa.
In that situation, and even earlier, with many controversies—especially within the Church, such as the Donatist schism—Saint Augustine always tried to bring peace. He always sought, in a way, not only to preach but also to build that peace. Today, the situation has not changed much.
Let us say that it highlights—or points to—an Augustinian characteristic, which is that restlessness. That is, always following the normal course of life, without great upheavals, but never standing still, always trying to find solutions to problems, and above all to achieve communion with the Church, with the world, and especially with God. It is that restless character of never being satisfied with what has already been achieved.
