By OBSERVERS TIMES
Long before his recent election as the leader of the Catholic Church, the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV set foot on Nigerian soil in 2016.
Then known as Robert Prevost, the American pontiff visited Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, nearly a decade ago. His trip was part of his responsibilities as an Augustinian leader, during which he engaged with members of the religious order and the wider Catholic community in the country.
A photograph shared on his X account at the time captured him alongside Catholic leaders. Some individuals in the photo are believed to have traveled with him from abroad, while others were Nigerian clergy members dressed in traditional black and white cassocks.
The caption accompanying the image, translated from Spanish to English, read: “For the first time, General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine on the African continent — Abuja, Nigeria.” The post was dated September 29, 2016.
At the time of this visit, Leo XIV was serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
Pope Leo XIV is a distinguished member of the Order of St. Augustine, a Catholic religious order with a history tracing back to the 13th century. The Order is known for its emphasis on community life, the internal search for God, and service to others, following the teachings of St. Augustine, who stressed unity of mind and heart for the glory of God.
Prior to his appointment as a bishop, then-Father Prevost served as the Provincial of the Augustinian Province in Chicago from 1999 to 2001. He subsequently served two terms as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013.
The last papal visit to Nigeria before Pope Leo XIV’s election was by Pope John Paul II, who visited the country in both 1982 and 1998. Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV’s predecessor, focused his African travels on Kenya, Uganda, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has extended his congratulations to Pope Leo XIV on his election as the Bishop of Rome. In his message, President Tinubu conveyed his joy alongside Nigerian Catholics, noting that the new Pope’s message of faith and hope resonates globally.
