Pope Leo XIV at the Mosque says "we can learn to respect one another, live in harmony, and build a world of peace" and Pauses in Silent Meditation

Pope Leo XIV during the first day of his apostolic journey to Africa visited the Grand Mosque of Algiers, where "he highlighted the site’s spiritual significance and paused in silent meditation." Warmly welcomed by the Imam of the Mosque, Mohamed Mamoun al Qasim who offered words of fraternity, the Pope said “I thank you for these reflections and for these important words during this visit, from a place that represents the space that belongs to God, a divine and sacred space, where many people come to pray and to seek the presence of the Most High in their lives.” It is the third-largest mosque in the world, capable of accommodating up to 120,000 worshippers. The Mosque’s minaret reaches a height of 267 meters, making it the tallest in the world, while the main prayer hall is surmounted by a large dome, 50 meters in diameter and 70 meters high. It includes a library, research centre, museums, administrative offices, gardens, panoramic terraces, restaurants and parking facilities, as both a religious and civic landmark. (Vatican News)

VISIT TO THE GREAT MOSQUE OF ALGIERS
FULL TEXT SPEECH WITH THE HOLY FATHER
Great Mosque of Algiers on Monday, April 13, 2026
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The Holy Father responded in Italian to the welcoming words of the Rector of the Great Mosque, Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi.

I thank you for this reflection and these words, so important during this visit, from a place that represents God's space, a divine, sacred space, where so many people come to pray, to find the presence of the Almighty, of God, in their lives.

As you know, I come to Algeria with great joy because it is also the land of my spiritual father, Saint Augustine, who wanted to teach the world so much, especially through the search for truth, the search for God, recognizing the dignity of every human being and the importance of building peace.

Seeking God also means recognizing the image of God in every creature, in God's children, in every man and woman created in the image and likeness of God. For us, this means that it is very important to learn to live together with respect for the dignity of every human person.

There is another value you have chosen to include in this beautiful center: precisely along with the Mosque, a place of prayer, there is also a center of study. How important it is for human beings to develop the intellectual capacity that God has given us, so that we can discover the grandeur of creation, how great is what God has left us in all of creation and especially in the human being!

With the spirit, with this place of prayer, with the search for truth, also through study, and with the ability to recognize the dignity of every human being, we know – and today's meeting is proof of this – that we can learn to respect one another, live in harmony, and build a world of peace.

This afternoon I pray for you, for the people of Algeria, for all the peoples of the earth, that the peace and justice of the Kingdom of God may also be present among us, and that we may all be increasingly convinced of the need to be promoters of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and of what is truly God's mind for all of his creation.