Vatican City - Pope Leo XIV headed to Algeria on Monday at the start of an 11-day tour of Africa, a major international trip that risked being overshadowed by criticism from US President Donald Trump.

Leo will become the first ever leader of the world's Catholics to visit the predominantly Muslim country of Algeria, where he aims to help "build bridges between the Christian and Muslim worlds," the Archbishop of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco told AFP.

Yet just hours before he left Rome, Leo became the target of very public criticism from Trump, who railed against the pope's entreaties for an end to violence in the Iran war.

"I'm not a big fan of Pope Leo," Trump told reporters, accusing the pontiff of "toying with a country (Iran) that wants a nuclear weapon."

Trump later suggested cardinals only elected Leo pope in May 2025 because he was American, and a potential bridge to Washington – before posting an AI-generated image seemingly depicting himself as Jesus Christ.

Leo had criticized as "unacceptable" Trump's threats against civilians in Iran, although he did not name the president, while he has also previously criticized the Trump administration's "inhuman" treatment of migrants.

In what will be interpreted as a show of support, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – a far-right leader close to Trump – issued a statement Monday morning wishing the pope a successful trip to the four African nations.

"May the Holy Father's ministry foster the resolution of conflicts and the return of peace, both internally and between nations, following the path traced by his predecessors, and provide support and comfort to the Christian communities he will encounter during his journey," she wrote.

The pope's trip take in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, covering more than 11,000 miles between April 13 and 23.

The pope's first stop on Monday will be the Algerian capital of Algiers, where he will meet with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, address diplomats, and pay tribute to the victims of Algeria's 1954-1962 war of independence against France.

Already in Algiers ahead of the historic visit, the atmosphere of an imminent celebration pervaded the air, with walls repainted, roads repaved, and green spaces adorned with plants and flowerpots.

The visit to Algeria is also infused with personal significance for the pope as the country was the home of Saint Augustine (354-430), whose spiritual legacy permeates his pontificate.

The influential Christian theologian laid the foundations for the 13th century Augustinian order to which Leo belongs, one based on communal living and service.

In his very first speech as pope, Leo presented himself as a "son" of Augustine, whose writings he often quotes. As head of the order, before becoming pope, the former Robert Francis Prevost twice visited Algeria.

On Tuesday, the pope will visit the northeastern city of Annaba – formerly the ancient Roman city of Hippo – the one-time home of the saint whose autobiographical "Confessions" is a seminal work within the Christian tradition.

Father Fred Wekesa, the rector of the Saint Augustine Basilica at Annaba where Leo will celebrate mass, said the pope's upcoming visit would give his small flock a "message of encouragement and solidarity."

Monday's itinerary also includes a visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers – with the world's highest minaret – and the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, overlooking the Bay of Algiers.

Leo plans to pray privately in the chapel dedicated to 19 priests and nuns murdered during Algeria's 1992-2002 civil war.

The pope will not, however, visit the Tibhirine monastery, whose monks were kidnapped and murdered in 1996, an event still shrouded in mystery.

Wekesa lamented shadows still cast by Algeria's bloody civil war, when 200,000 people were killed in the conflict between the government and various Islamist rebel groups.

Although some people still viewed Algeria "through the lens of the 'dark years,'" Leo's visit will allow the world to see "the hospitality and generosity of the Algerian people," said Wekesa.

"We are capable of living together in peace," he added.