By Devin Watkins
On the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Algeria, Pope Leo XIV flew to Annaba—the site of the ancient city of Hippo, where St Augustine served as Bishop.
After visiting the archeaological site, the Pope spent a few minutes with several elderly people residing at the Ma Maison Care Home for the Elderly, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.
In his brief address, he told residents that “God dwells here,” noting that “wherever there is love and service, God is there.”
Pope Leo especially thanked Salah Bouchemel for his words of greeting, in which the elderly Algerian Muslim resident of the facility upheld the respect for one another and their religion he has enjoyed at the care home.
In response, the Pope said God would surely recognize the hope that lives in a place where people strive to live together in fraternity.
“God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice, and lies,” he said. “But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant, or the proud.”
Rather, said Pope Leo, God dwells with those who build up His Kingdom in service.
“God’s heart is with the little ones and the humble,” he said, “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, friendship, and life together.”
Pope Leo was also greeted by Archbishop Paul Desfarges, SJ, who served as Bishop of Constantine-Hippone between 2008 and 2021 and who now resides with the Little Sisters of the Poor.
The Archbishop said the sisters and the care home’s staff perform daily miracles with their care and attention, in actions as simple as a warm handshake that brings people closer together.
The Pope thanked Archbishop Desfarges for his welcome, and praised his witness in living side-by-side with the elderly residents.
He recalled Jesus’ words (Lk 10:21) that the Father has hidden His secrets from the wise and intelligent but revealed them to little children.
Pope Leo XIV concluded his address by thanking the sisters and residents for their witness and presenting them with a mosaic of the Risen Christ as a gift.
Created by the late Albanian mosaicist Josif Droboniku, the mosaic fits in the ancient Byzantine tradition and exhorts everyone in Greek to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
According to a note accompanying the mosaic, the work of art offers an invitation “to let oneself be illumined by the Risen Christ’s presence and to carry, through charity and service, the reflection of His mercy wherever the human heart awaits consolation and hope.” – Vatican News
