Pope Leo Is Skipping Some of Africa’s Biggest Catholic Nations
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV's African tour includes visits to Cameroon and Angola, countries with millions of Catholics, aligning with pastoral efficiency.
- The Pope also visited Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country with few Catholics, and Equatorial Guinea, a small but majority Catholic nation, raising questions about the itinerary choices.
- Major Catholic populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, totaling around 90 million, were notably excluded from the tour.
- Speculation suggests security concerns, such as conflict in eastern Congo and terrorist attacks in Nigeria, might have influenced the Pope's decision to skip these countries.
- The Vatican has not provided an explanation for the itinerary decisions, leaving some African Catholics puzzled and hopeful for future visits.
