Pope Leo to visit Türkiye, Lebanon in first official trip abroad

Pope Leo will travel to Türkiye and Lebanon in late November, marking his first journey outside Italy as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican announced on October 7.

The pontiff, who became the first US pope after being elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis, will visit Türkiye from November 27 to 30, followed by a trip to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2. His itinerary is expected to include appeals for peace across the region and a focus on the plight of Christians in the Middle East, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

In Türkiye, Pope Leo will meet with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians, for events marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD in the ancient city of Nicaea, now known as Iznik.

“It is profoundly symbolical that Pope Leo ... will visit [the patriarch] on his first official journey,” said Rev. John Chryssavgis, an advisor to Bartholomew. “Pope Leo is doubtless seeking to express and affirm his identity as a Christian in a world of many different creeds, where all people, regardless of religion and race, are called to live together in mutual understanding."

Lebanon, a country with a large Christian population and deep religious diversity, was not initially expected to be part of the pope’s first overseas journey. Vatican officials say the addition to the itinerary emerged only in recent weeks.

During his visit, Pope Leo is expected to honour the victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, which killed more than 200 people and caused extensive damage, as well as make broader calls for peace in the Middle East.

The trip fulfills a long-delayed plan by Pope Francis, who had hoped to visit both countries during his papacy but was unable to travel due to declining health in his final years.

By Sabina Mammadli