‘A sign of peace and unity’: Pope praises ‘fraternity’ of Algerian Christians

‘The early Church was not based on a social contract, but rather on the harmony of faith, affections, ideas and life decisions centred on the love of God who became man to save all the peoples of the earth.’

On the second day of his apostolic journey to Algeria, Pope Leo XIV planted an olive tree in the archaeological site of Hippo in the modern-day city of Annaba, where St Augustine was bishop, and celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St Augustine.

“Having the opportunity to visit the places associated with the life of St Augustine, where he was bishop in the city of Hippo, is truly a blessing for me personally,” he said on his flight to Algiers yesterday. “I believe it is also a blessing for the Church and for the world, because we must always seek bridges to build peace and reconciliation.”

In his homily at the Mass in the basilica, Pope Leo asked: “When we ask ourselves how a future of justice, peace, harmony and salvation will be possible, we must remember that we are asking God the same question that Nicodemus asked: can our story truly change? We are so weighed down by problems, hardships and tribulations! Can we truly start our lives over again?”

“Yes!” he continued. “The Lord’s response, so full of love, fills our hearts with hope. No matter how weighed down we are by pain or sin: the crucified One carries all these burdens with us and for us. No matter how discouraged we are by our own weaknesses: it is precisely then that God manifests his strength, the God who has raised Christ from the dead in order to give life to the world.”

Pope Leo said renewal by the Holy Spirit is “an authentic criterion for ecclesial reform: a reform that must begin in the heart, if it is to be genuine, and must encompass everyone if it is to be effective”.

He quoted the statement in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles that “the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul” and said, “This spiritual unity is a concordia: a word that signifies well the communion of hearts that beat as one because they are united with the heart of Christ.

“The early Church, therefore, was not based on a social contract, but rather on the harmony of faith, affections, ideas and life decisions centred on the love of God who became man to save all the peoples of the earth.”

He highlighted that “everything they owned was held in common”: “Everyone has everything, sharing in one another’s goods as members of a single body. No one is deprived of anything, because everyone shares what they have.

“Since possession can be transformed into gift, this fraternal dedication does not represent a utopia. Only hearts divided against one another and souls consumed by greed believe that it is. On the contrary, faith in the one God, Lord of heaven and earth, unites people according to perfect justice, which calls everyone to charity – that is, to love every creature with the love that God gives us in Christ.”

Pope Leo urged Christians to take charity as a “guiding principle” in “the face of poverty and oppression”: to “do to those around us, as we would have them do to us”.

“Inspired by this law, inscribed in our hearts by God, the Church is continually reborn, for where there is despair she kindles hope, where there is misery she brings dignity, and where there is conflict she brings reconciliation,” he said.

He emphasised that the “primary task” of “pastors as ministers of the Gospel” is “to bear witness to God before the world with one heart and one soul, not permitting our concerns to lead us astray through fear, nor trends to undermine us through compromise”.

“Dearest Christians of Algeria, you remain a humble and faithful sign of Christ’s love in this land,” Pope Leo said. “Bear witness to the Gospel through simple gestures, genuine relationships and a dialogue lived out day by day: in this way, you bring flavour and light to the places where you live.”

The Catholic community in Algeria is a tiny minority of around 9,000 people made up mostly of foreigners, living alongside the Sunni Muslim majority of about 47 million, according to Vatican statistics. There are also an estimated 71,000 to 200,000 Protestants, mainly in the Berber minority in the Kabylie region, who face discrimination.

“Your presence in this country is like incense: a glowing grain that spreads fragrance because it gives glory to the Lord and joy and comfort to so many brothers and sisters,” the Pope continued. “This incense is a small, precious element that does not draw attention to itself, but invites us to turn our hearts to God, encouraging one another to persevere amid the difficulties of the present time.

“Your history is one of generous hospitality and resilience in times of trial. Here the martyrs prayed; here Saint Augustine loved his flock, fervently seeking the truth and serving Christ with ardent faith. Be heirs to this tradition, bearing witness through fraternal charity to the freedom of those born from above as a hope of salvation for the world.”

Earlier today, Pope Leo also visited a home for the elderly in Annaba, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. He said to the residents and the sisters, “As-salamu alaykum! I think that the Lord, looking down from heaven upon a house like this, where people strive to live together in fraternity, would say, ‘There is hope!’

“Yes, because God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice and lies. But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud.  

“God’s heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he builds up his Kingdom of love and peace day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, in your friendship and life together.”

At the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers yesterday, Pope Leo said: “This very basilica is a sign of our desire for peace and unity. It symbolises a Church of living stones, where communion between Christians and Muslims takes shape under the mantle of Our Lady of Africa.

“Here, the maternal love of Lalla Meryem gathers everyone as children, within our rich diversity, in our shared aspiration for dignity, love, justice and peace. All her children are eager to walk together, to live, pray, work and dream, since faith does not isolate, but opens us up; it unites us, but does not create confusion; it brings us closer, without homogenising, and fosters true fraternity.

“In a world where division and wars sow pain and death among nations, in communities, and even within families, your experience of unity and peace is a compelling sign. Together, you spread fraternity and inspire a deep longing for communion and reconciliation with a powerful and clear message that is borne in simplicity and humility.”

The eye of the heart – St Augustine and the spiritual roots of Pope Leo XIV

How will Leo carry out his mission to Algeria’s inconvenient Christians?

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: