Yaounde, Cameroon —
Pope Leo
On the papal plane from Algeria to Cameroon, Leo noted that he visited the Great Mosque of Algiers, the largest in Africa, and the birthplace of St. Augustine of Hippo, the influential Christian who inspired him to become a priest.
The visit to the mosque showed that “we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worship, we have different ways of life, but we can live together in peace,” the pope said.
He added: “I think promoting images like that is something the world needs to hear today.”
President Trump hits back at Pope Leo with a war of words
President Donald Trump has once again criticized Pope Leo on social media, continuing his war of words against the Pope.
After criticizing U.S. military operations in Iran, Leo began his African trip in Algeria, a Muslim-majority country. The growing criticism of the Pope emphasizes his position as a challenger to the Trump administration.
Leo’s willingness to call out the American president on the world stage signals a significant increase in tensions between Washington and the Vatican. President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance issued a series of sharp statements to the head of the Catholic Church this week, with the president showing no signs of backing down, declaring that he is “not afraid of the Trump administration.”
The pope departed for Africa just hours after President Trump launched an extraordinary broadside attack on the pope and his stance on war. The president then posted an image that appeared to show him resembling Jesus. The image has since been removed.
Vance, a Catholic, attended the Turning Point USA event on Tuesday and said the pope should be “careful” when speaking about theology. Vance also questioned the pope’s understanding of the “just war” theory, which sets standards for morally legitimate conflict and was developed over centuries by Catholic thinkers.
The central architect of the “just war” teaching is St. Augustine of Hippo, whom Leo admired during his stay in Algeria. Augustine was a bishop of the late fourth and early fifth centuries and the spiritual father of the Augustinian Order, of which the Pope is a member and former leader.
Leo emphasized that Augustine remains an “important figure” through his writings, teachings, and spirituality.
“His invitation to the search for God and truth is so needed today,” Leo said in English on a flight from Algiers to Cameroon’s capital Yaounde. He pointed out that Augustine’s memory is respected in Algeria, even though the majority of Algerians are Muslim.
Pope Leo XIV delivers message of unity after visiting Algeria
The Pope said St. Augustine offered “the Church and the world” a vision that includes “strives to build community, seek unity among all peoples, and respect all peoples, despite differences.”
President Trump showed no signs of backing down from the feud Tuesday night, calling it “unacceptable” for Iran to have a nuclear bomb.
“Can someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent and completely unarmed protesters in the last two months and that Iran’s possession of a nuclear bomb is completely unacceptable,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. It was not immediately clear where President Trump got that persona.
See in photos: Pope Leo’s visit to Africa
Leo, the first Pope to visit Algeria, expressed his gratitude to the Algerian authorities for making his visit possible. He also paid tribute to the small but important presence of the Catholic Church in Algeria.
While in Cameroon, he will address the internal conflict between the French-speaking government and English-speaking separatists, and will also take part in a peace conference.
Speaking before President Paul Biya at the Presidential Palace in Yaoundé, Leo appealed to authorities to avoid corrupt practices.
“For peace and justice to prevail, we must break the chains of corruption that undermine authority and rob it of its credibility,” he said.
And “true peace” can only take hold if “the law acts as a safe safeguard against the whims of the rich and powerful,” he added.
Cameroon’s English-speaking separatists announced a three-day cessation of fighting to allow the pope to “travel safely” and deliver his message of peace, according to the Associated Press.
The Pope’s trip to Africa, which also includes visits to Angola and Equatorial Guinea, ends on April 23.
