Pope Urges Peaceful Deserts and Seas as Oases of Mutual Enrichment
Pope Leo XIV traveled to Algiers for a three-day Apostolic Journey to Algeria. He met civil authorities, civil society representatives, and the diplomatic corps on the first day.
Visit and addresses
He met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the presidential palace. He later addressed about 1,400 civil authorities at the Djamaa el Djazair Conference Center.
The Pope thanked the president for the invitation during the first year of his Petrine ministry. He recalled earlier visits to Annaba, ancient Hippo, in 2001 and 2013.
Themes and appeals to leaders
Presenting himself as a pilgrim of peace, he emphasized shared human dignity. He praised Algerian traditions of hospitality, solidarity, and reconciliation.
He warned that religion without mercy and societies without solidarity wound human dignity. He urged leaders to choose dialogue and acts of solidarity to advance justice.
Citing Popes Benedict XVI and Francis, he called for guiding globalization through participation and inclusion. He encouraged authorities to foster a vibrant, dynamic, and free civil society.
He stressed the role of youth as agents of hope and renewal. He urged officials to serve citizens and promote broad-based development.
Geography as a spiritual crossroads
The Pope highlighted Algeria’s border with the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara desert. He described these zones as a spiritual crossroads rich in human treasures.
He said peaceful deserts and seas should become oases of mutual enrichment. He warned against turning those spaces into places where hope dies.
He called on civil leaders to unite spiritual energy, intelligence, and resources. The goal is to make land and sea places of life, encounter, and wonder.
Confronting polarization and renewal
He noted tensions between fundamentalism and secularization in Algerian society. He warned that religious symbols can be perverted into violence or emptied by consumer culture.
He urged officials not to let polarizations cause despair. Instead, he invited them to face division with intelligence and open hearts.
Church commitment and closing appeal
The Pope pledged the Catholic Church’s contribution to Algeria’s common good. He said the Church would help strengthen Algeria’s identity as a bridge between nations.
He called for multiplying oases of peace and opposing those who profit from others’ suffering. The appeal aimed to inspire practical solidarity and durable hope.
Filmogaz.com reporting.
