Pope Leo Angola visit confirmed, dates still pending

Pope Leo XIV has accepted an invitation to visit Angola as part of a planned multi-nation tour of Africa, the Vatican’s ambassador in Luanda announced on January 13, 2026. The trip would be the pontiff’s first overseas journey of the year, though specific dates and the full itinerary have not yet been determined.

What the Vatican envoy said

Archbishop Kryspin Dubiel, the Holy See’s representative in Angola, told journalists that Pope Leo had accepted President João Lourenço’s invitation and that planning for the visit is underway. The Vatican press office did not immediately comment on the timetable or stops beyond Angola.

Part of a broader Africa tour

According to the Vatican envoy, Angola is expected to be included within a wider African itinerary rather than as a standalone visit. Pope Leo has previously stated his intention to travel to the continent, underscoring interest in pastoral outreach there. Final routing, however, remains to be set.

Recent papal travel and Angola precedent

Pope Leo, elected in May 2025 after the death of Pope Francis, has made one overseas trip so far, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in late 2025. The last papal journey to Africa occurred in 2023, when Francis visited the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, while Angola last hosted a pope in 2009 during Benedict XVI’s tenure.

Why the visit matters

A visit to Angola would highlight the Catholic Church’s engagement in Lusophone Africa and signal continuity in Rome’s attention to fast-growing African congregations. It would also mark an early 2026 test of Pope Leo’s travel agenda as the first U.S.-born pope, with potential opportunities for interfaith dialogue and social outreach programs often aligned with papal tours.

What happens next

Angola’s government and the local church will coordinate with the Holy See on security, venues and pastoral events once dates are fixed. In parallel, another potential 2026 journey—to Spain and the Canary Islands—has been discussed by church officials, though details there are also in planning stages.

As preparations advance, attention will focus on the scope of the Africa tour, the themes the pope chooses to emphasize, and how the visit fits within broader diplomatic and pastoral priorities for the year.