St. Augustine was famously reluctant to become a priest. He later became the bishop of Hippo, in modern-day Algeria, taking up a role that would cement the African saint as a doctor of the church and a foundational influence in modern Western thought.
It’s precisely for that reason that Pope Leo XIV, in one of the first destinations of his young pontificate, has chosen to travel to North Africa.
The pope will touch down in Algeria on April 13 to kick off a four-nation tour of the African continent. One of his first stops will be a daylong visit to Annaba, the site of ancient Hippo. There, Leo, the first Augustinian pope, will reaffirm the Augustinian roots that have become central to his identity as pope and a model for his leadership of the church.
Introducing himself to the world for the first time as pope, Leo described himself as a “son of St. Augustine,” and he quoted the African saint who said, “With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop.” The Augustinian imprint on Leo’s psyche is evident, with the pope frequently quoting him in his speeches.
Though the third international journey of his pontificate, Leo’s Africa trip is the first to emerge entirely of his own volition. The pope’s first international trip to Turkey and Lebanon had been largely planned for Pope Francis, and his second international trip, a daylong visit to Monaco, came after longstanding invitations for a papal visit to the principality dating to the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI.
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With thanks to National Catholic Reporter and Justin McLellan, where this article originally appeared.
