Pope Leo XIV in First Official Trip as Pontiff to Turkey, Lebanon
Pope Leo XIV will embark on his first international trip as head of the Catholic Church with a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon beginning November 27, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.
According to Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, the 70-year-old pontiff will spend November 27–30 in Turkey before continuing to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2.
Full details of his itinerary will be released later, Bruni said.
The pope’s visit to Turkey will include a pilgrimage to the historic city of Iznik — formerly Nicaea — to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark event in Christian history.
The 325 AD council, convened by Emperor Constantine, brought together bishops from across the Roman Empire and produced the Nicene Creed, which affirmed the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
The trip holds added significance as it was initially planned for May by Pope Francis, who passed away in April at the age of 88.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, had previously expressed his desire to visit Iznik for the anniversary.
His stop in Lebanon, meanwhile, is expected to focus on peacebuilding and interfaith coexistence in the multi-religious nation.
Lebanon has been struggling to maintain stability amid tensions involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and ongoing Israeli strikes in its southern border regions despite a ceasefire that took effect in November 2024.
The Vatican said the pope’s meetings in Lebanon will highlight dialogue, reconciliation, and the disarmament of non-state actors.
The visit follows an invitation extended in June by Lebanese President, Joseph Aoun during his audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
The last papal trip to Lebanon took place in 2012 under Pope Benedict XVI, while the most recent visit to Turkey was in 2014, when Pope Francis met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara and Istanbul.
Pope Leo XIV’s November journey marks not only a continuation of the Church’s diplomatic outreach but also a reaffirmation of its historical and spiritual ties to early Christianity’s foundational events.
