Luanda: Pope Leo XIV will visit Angola this year as part of a tour of several African countries, the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in the country announced on Tuesday in Luanda. "The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, intends to visit the African continent and Angola is included in the itinerary of this trip," revealed the Apostolic Nuncio to Angola, Archbishop Kryspin Dubiel, without specifying the date of the visit. According to Angola Press News Agency, speaking in a press conference held at the headquarters of the Apostolic Nunciature in Luanda, Kryspin Dubiel said the Pope accepted the invitation from the Angolan Episcopate and the President of the Republic, Joo Lourenço. "At this moment, we are in the preparation phase of the plan and program for the Pope's visit to Africa. I want to emphasize that we do not yet have the details about the exact date, but it will be communicated as soon as it is defined," he stressed. The president of the Catholic Episcopal Conference in Angola and So Tomé (CEAST), Bish op José Manuel Imbamba, stated that the Catholic Church is available for this meeting. "The visit is historic and reinforces the spiritual and diplomatic ties between the Holy See and the Angolan people," he said. In his turn, the Archbishop of Luanda, Archbishop Filomeno Viera Dias, considered the moment historic, highlighting the particular symbolism for the city of Luanda, which this year celebrates 450 years of faith. "This will undoubtedly be a moment of great spiritual and cultural significance, reinforcing the presence and role of the Catholic Church in the history of Angola," he stressed. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, was elected pope in May 2025. He was the first pontiff to be a citizen of the United States. He is known for his reformist views, similar to those of Pope Francis. The first visit of a Pope to Angola was by John Paul II, in June 1992, and the second by Benedict XVI, in March 2009.