It would be the first papal visit to Africa since Leo’s predecessor, Francis, travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan in early 2023.
“I would like to inform you that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, intends to travel to the African continent, and that Angola is also on the itinerary for this trip,” Apostolic Nuncio Kryspin Dubiel told a news conference.
“We don’t yet have the details about the exact date and the itinerary but they will be communicated as soon as they are set. We are currently preparing the plan and programme for Pope Leo’s visit to Africa.”
The last pope to visit Angola was Benedict XVI in March 2009.
Angola, a former Portuguese colony, has been independent since 1975. Its population is 44 percent Catholic and 35 percent Protestant, according to the 2024 census.