Pope Leo XIV Plans Extensive African Tour as Part of Ambitious 2026 Travel Schedule

The Vatican has revealed Pope Leo XIV's ambitious travel itinerary for early 2026, including visits to four African nations and several European countries. The 70-year-old pontiff, who became the first American-born pope last year, will embark on his most extensive international travel schedule after focusing on Vatican duties during the 2025 Holy Year.

The Vatican revealed Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV has scheduled an ambitious series of international trips for the first half of 2026, including journeys to Monaco, Spain, and four African nations: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

This announcement marks one of the most extensive papal travel agendas in recent years, as Leo XIV will simultaneously conduct a comprehensive tour of Italy beginning in May, featuring multiple single-day visits throughout the country.

Following Leo’s historic election last May as the first American-born pontiff, international papal travel had been suspended. The new pope dedicated his time to serving the 33 million pilgrims who traveled to the Vatican during the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

With the Jubilee period now concluded, the 70-year-old pontiff has greater freedom to travel and connect with Catholics worldwide. He is currently making similar outreach efforts during Lent by visiting different Roman parishes each Sunday.

The pontiff, formerly known as Robert Prevost, spent two decades serving as a missionary in Peru and has expressed his passion for travel. During his 12-year tenure as Augustinian superior, he frequently traveled to visit religious communities across the globe.

His inaugural international journey as pope occurred late last year, when he traveled to Turkey and Lebanon. These visits completed commitments originally made by Pope Francis, who was unable to fulfill them due to declining health.

Leo XIV’s upcoming travels begin with a single-day visit to Monaco scheduled for March 28.

His most ambitious journey follows shortly after Easter: a 10-day expedition from April 13 to April 23 covering Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. Such extensive foreign travel has rarely been undertaken in recent years, with only Francis completing a comparable journey when he visited Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore in 2024. The Algeria visit holds special significance for Leo XIV due to its connection to St. Augustine of Hippo, the 5th-century saint who inspired his religious order.

Unlike Francis, who largely avoided major Catholic European nations during his 12-year papacy while focusing on smaller peripheral Catholic communities, Leo XIV will spend nearly a week in Spain from June 6 to June 12.

Expectations are high that he will appear in Barcelona on June 10 to mark the centennial of Antoni Gaudí’s death, the renowned architect behind the famous Sagrada Familia basilica. The massive cathedral recently achieved a major milestone with the installation of its towering central spire, reaching its maximum planned height.

Although the Vatican has not confirmed additional foreign travel plans, Leo XIV is anticipated to visit Peru, his former missionary home, and potentially Argentina and Uruguay during the latter half of 2026. The Vatican has confirmed he will not travel to the United States this year, despite the nation’s 250th independence celebration.

On July 4th, America’s anniversary date, Leo will instead be visiting Lampedusa, the southern Italian island that serves as the primary entry point for migrants smuggled from North Africa to Europe.