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, in what could become the pontiff’s first overseas trip in 2026.
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 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 has made only one foreign trip so far, visiting Turkey 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.
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