By Paschal Norbert
VATICAN CITY/ ANNABA, JULY 15, 2025 (CISA) – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Very Rev. Michel Guillaud as the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Constantine-Hippo in Algeria, the Holy See Press Office announced on Friday, July 11. The appointment marks a significant moment for a diocese rooted in the legacy of one of Christianity’s most towering figures – St. Augustine of Hippo.
Although restructured over centuries, the Diocese of Constantine-Hippo encompasses the ancient see of Hippo, where St. Augustine served as bishop from 396 until his death in 430. Hippo, now modern-day Annaba, derives its name from a word likely referencing its location as a harbour city. The diocese, while today serving fewer than 1,000 Catholics in a predominantly Sunni Muslim nation, retains immense historical and theological importance for the Church.
A Scholar of Islam and a Longtime Missionary
Bishop-elect Michel Guillaud, 64, is no stranger to Algeria. A French priest of the Archdiocese of Lyon, he has served in the country since 2006, ministering as a parish priest in Batna, Constantine, and Skikda. He has also served as vicar general of the diocese from 2020 to 2024 and, since April 2024, as the diocesan administrator following the appointment of Bishop Nicolas Lhernould as Archbishop of Tunis.
Guillaud brings a strong academic and interreligious background to the role. After theological studies in Lyon, he earned a licentiate in Islamology from the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) in Rome. He later became a lecturer in Islamology and served as chaplain to students at the Catholic University of Lyon before beginning his pastoral ministry in Algeria.
From 2015 to 2025, he also held the role of Secretary General of the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (CERNA), further deepening his ties within the ecclesiastical and interfaith fabric of the Maghreb region.
Guardian of a Sacred Legacy
Though small in numbers, the Catholic community of Constantine-Hippo upholds the memory and mission of St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church and one of the foundational theologians of Western Christianity. Pope Leo XIV himself belongs to the Order of Saint Augustine, which follows the saint’s spiritual rule and teachings.
Despite its historic significance and the Algerian government’s own emphasis on Augustine’s legacy, no modern pope has visited Algeria. The appointment of Bishop-elect Guillaud may rekindle attention to this part of the Church’s ancient heritage.
Michel Guillaud was born on June 24, 1961, in Villeurbanne, France. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Lyon on July 1, 1990. His pastoral and academic career has spanned teaching, university chaplaincy, and nearly two decades of missionary service in Algeria. He is fluent in Arabic and French – Algeria’s official and most widely spoken languages, respectively.
