Pope Leo is planning to visit Angola as part of a wider tour of several African countries, the Vatican’s ambassador to Angola said on Tuesday.
Archbishop Kryspin Dubiel told reporters in Luanda that Leo had accepted an invitation from President Joao Lourenco, although the timing and other arrangements have yet to be finalised.
The anticipated trip could potentially become the pontiff’s first overseas trip in 2026.
“The Holy Father has accepted the invitation, but we are currently working on the itinerary and programme,” Dubiel said.
The Vatican press office did not immediately comment.
Elected in May to succeed the late Pope Francis, Leo XIV has made only one foreign trip so far, visiting Turkiye and Lebanon in November and December.
In a press conference in December, the pope said he hoped to travel to Africa, though he did not specifically mention Angola.
A member of the Augustinian order, Leo has also expressed a wish to visit Algeria, the birthplace of St Augustine of Hippo.
The most recent papal visit to Africa took place in 2023, when Pope Francis travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Pope Benedict XVI was the last pope to visit Angola, in 2009.
Leo, the first pope from the United States, visited Africa many times during his earlier career as a cardinal and as head of his religious order.
He is also expected to travel to Spain and the Canary Islands in 2026. The Canary Islands have become a key entry point for migrants seeking to reach Europe, and a Spanish cardinal said last week that plans for the visit were under way.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The 25th World Petroleum Council (WPC) Energy Congress began in Riyadh on Sunday (11 October), running from 11 to 15 October under the theme &ldquo...
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment