Pope Leo visits Grand Mosque of Algiers, says Christians & Muslims must build bridges

Pope Leo XIV became the first Supreme Pontiff to visit Algeria on Apr. 13, stopping at the Grand Mosque of Algiers where he called for mutual respect, coexistence and peace.

The visit to the Muslim-majority country of Algeria marked the first stop of the pope’s 11-day Africa trip, which will also take him to Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, reported The Guardian.

Bridges between Christian and Muslim worlds

Speaking during the visit, Leo said that seeking God should also lead people to recognise the dignity of every person, adding that such recognition should result in "mutual respect and coexistence”, according to The Vatican News.

During his visit to the Grand Mosque of Algiers, he stood in silence for more than 30 seconds facing the qibla, the direction Muslims face during prayer towards Mecca in Saudi Arabia, alongside mosque rector Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi.

Leo also said one of the aims of his Algeria trip was to help build "bridges between the Christian world and the Muslim world", as reported by the National Catholic Reporter (NCR).

The Grand Mosque of Algiers can accommodate up to 120,000 worshippers and is considered one of the world’s largest mosques, after those in Mecca and Medina.

Called for justice and serving the common good

Earlier in the day, Leo met Algerian officials and said political authority should serve people rather than dominate them.

"The true strength of a nation lies in the cooperation of everyone in pursuing the common good," he said.

He added, as cited by NCR: "Authorities are called not to dominate, but to serve the people and foster their development.”

He also urged leaders to allow themselves to be “moved by the pain of others", saying dialogue had become more urgent amid what he described as continuing violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies.

Algeria carries personal significance

Algeria also holds symbolic importance for Leo, who is the first pope from the Augustinian order, according to The Guardian.

Saint Augustine, whom Leo has described as his "spiritual father", was born in present-day Algeria.

During the visit, as reported by The Vatican News, he referred to Algeria as "the land of my spiritual father”.

He also told journalists on the flight to Algiers that the trip was the first overseas visit he had personally wanted to make after becoming pope in 2025.

Africa now accounts for about one-fifth of Catholics worldwide, making the continent increasingly important to the Catholic Church’s future.

Leo’s visit has been seen as a signal of the region’s growing significance to the church.

Top images via pontifex/Instagram