Where will Pope Leo XIV go first? The slopes point to Algeria, Türkiye and the United States

On July 11, Pope Leo XIV appointed Fr. Michel Guillaud Bishop of the Diocese of Constantine (Algeria). The appointment attracted little attention, partly because the French priest already served as a diocesan administrator of this ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Graduate of the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies of Rome, the elected bishop has developed almost his entire priestly career in the North African country.

However, Constantine is not any diocese. Of the four jurisdictions of Algeria, it is to which the title of the former Diocese of Hipona is attributed, of which San Agustín was Bishop. The Basilica of San Agustín in Annaba now serves as processes, since the former Cathedral of Constantine, dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Dolores, was turned into a mosque in 1964.

But this is not the only reason why the designation of the Bishop of Constantine is significant. First, with this appointment the four dioceses of Algeria now have bishops. Second, the fact that the Catholic Church has an Augustinian pontiff raises the possibility, not so far -fetched, of a papal visit to the country.

It is expected that Leo XIV visits Nicea, located in the current İZnik, in the northwest of Türkiye, to celebrate the 1700 anniversary of the first ecumenical council. The most likely date for the trip is November 30, San Andrés Day, when the city traditionally visits a Catholic delegation.

Pope Francis expected to travel to Nicea on May 24. The trip was never officially announced, but that date had been discussed. The program would have been limited to Nicea due to your health. The death of the Argentine pontiff postponed the visit, but not the idea of a large -scale ecumenical celebration.

Leo XIV did not have to limit himself to Nicea. I could go to Ankara to visit the presidential palace and meet with the diplomatic corps. I could stop in Istanbul to visit the Fanar, headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchy of Constantinople, and meet with Catholics in the Turkish capital. Then I could continue towards Nicea for the ecumenical celebration with the Bartolomé Patriarch.

But before that trip, Leo XIV could choose to go to Algeria following the footsteps of San Agustín. This idea has gained strength in the Vatican and it seems that possible itineraries are already being explored. It is said that the Pope wants his first trip to be symbolically linked to his first vocation.

Therefore, Algeria could be the first stop of a trip that would also take him to Türkiye. This inaugural journey would last for at least a week, with two similar and different stops. It would be a journey not only ecumenical, but also interreligious.

If confirmed, the trip would also establish a pattern for the visits of Leo XIV. He is a relatively young pontiff and, therefore, capable of undertaking long tours.

Possible visits

Where more? Rumors abound. Leo XIV would like to return to Peru on his second trip, which could take place between May and June 2026. The visit would include Chiclayo, Lima and other Peruvian destinations with which the Pope is linked.

In addition, you are invited to visit the United States. The year 2026 is 250 years of the Foundation of the Nation, while 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations.

It is expected that Leo XIV returns to his native country, with probable stops in Washington DC, Baltimore, the oldest diocese in the United States; and New York, where it could go to the United Nations, possibly in September, coinciding with its General Assembly.

Leo XIV could also relive a little known plan of Pope Francis: another trip to Africa. Among the stops that, as reported, the late Pontiff considered was Cabo Verde.

This would have had deeply personal reasons: the “Black Manuel”, the enslaved man in charge of transporting an image of the Virgin, came from Cabo Verde. That image then stopped in Luján, where the most venerated sanctuary in Argentina was built after the event.

It is difficult to say today if this trip to Africa will take place, or if it could happen in 2026 or 2027. Even so, it is still a possibility.

Of course, invitations from all over the world have lacked. The Pope has already expressed his willingness to visit the Sanctuary of Lourdes, and some even ask for a visit to Ukraine, although this is still unlikely.

It is also expected to be in Barcelona next year for the culmination of the Holy Family. The completion of the Huge Spanish Basilica, after 144 years of construction, will coincide with the centenary of the death of its architect, the Venerable Antoni Gaudí.

However, Algeria, Peru and the United States – together with Nicea, of course – seem to be the first probable stops of the Pope.

However, none of these visits is imminent. In general, papal trips are officially confirmed and announced only one month before departure, once there is no doubt that the Holy Father will go. For now, they are still working hypothesis, although they all seem likely.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in National Catholic Register.