Why Pope Leo’s upcoming trip to Algeria is so significant

Once a hub of Christianity, Algeria was home to Christian theologian and philosopher St. Augustine of Hippo. Born in present-day Souk Ahras, St. Augustine is viewed as one of the most important church fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. Pope Leo XIV calls St. Augustine his “spiritual father.” He is a member of the Augustinian Order and a longtime Augustinian priest. It is highly significant that the pope will now head to the land of St. Augustine, where churches face severe persecution. Algeria was predominantly Christian from the second century until the Arab-Muslim conquests in the seventh century. During Roman rule, it was a major Christian hub. Today, however, those who convert to Christianity are subjected to criminal prosecution.