Pope Leo to visit Monaco, Africa and Spain in coming months

The first visit will be a day trip on March 28 to the Principality of Monaco.

The apostolic journey to Africa from April 13-23 will see the Pope following in the footsteps of St Augustine in Algeria, where the Pontiff will visit Algiers and Annaba; then visiting Cameroon in Central Africa, with stops in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Douala. In Angola, he will visit Luanda, Muxima and Saurimo. Finally, in Equatorial Guinea, he will visit Malabo, Mongomo and Bata.

The length of this papal visit approaches that of Pope Saint John Paul II in 1985, when he visited seven countries in 11 days.

Pope Leo will also spend six days in Spain and in the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands from June 6-12.

The Vatican had previously announced that Pope Leo will undertake several pastoral visits in Italy that will take him as far as the island of Lampedusa.

The visits to African nations will be focused on peace.

In Barcelona, Pope Leo will inaugurate the newest and tallest tower of the Sagrada Familia, the basilica that has reshaped the skyline of the Catalan city.

The visit falls on the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the brilliant architect who “dreamed” the basilica by beginning to build it, and who last year was declared a Venerable Servant of God.

Though largely restricted by the 2025 Jubilee which filled the Pope’s schedule with Rome-based obligations in his first year, Pope Leo’s travel plans open what is anticipated to be a year of marathon travel for the Pontiff, the National Catholic Reporter stated.  

Additional trips to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay are expected later in the year as well. Pope Leo’s only trip outside Italy so far, to Türkiye and Lebanon last year, was largely planned for his predecessor, NCR stated.

FULL STORY

Pope Leo XIV to make Apostolic Journeys to Africa, Spain and Monaco (Vatican News)

Pope charts 2026 travel with sweeping Africa tour, visits to Spain, Monaco (National Catholic Reporter)