The Vatican has announced the first foreign visit of the new leader of the global Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, who will visit Turkey and Lebanon at the end of November – the beginning of December. It is expected that Pope Leo XIV will use this trip to call for peace in the Middle East and draw attention to the dire situation of Christians in the region. This was reported by 'Glavcom' citing Vaticannews.
Representatives of the Vatican have announced Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit to Turkey and Lebanon at the end of November - the beginning of December. This is expected to be an important event for local Christians and the entire Middle East. During the trip, the Pope plans to make a pilgrimage to the city of Iznik in Turkey and visit Lebanon, where he will support the local Christian community.
The visit to Turkey will include a pilgrimage to the city of Iznik (Nicaea) to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Council, the first Ecumenical Council. This anniversary is a significant moment for strengthening Catholic-Orthodox relations, as Francis intends to commemorate it at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide.
The visit to Lebanon, where the Pope's stay was announced by President Joseph Aoun, aims to support the local Christian community. Lebanon, despite political and economic instability, has the highest percentage of Christians in the Middle East (about one-third of the population) and is the only Arab country with a Christian head of state (the president is always a Maronite Christian).
Pope Leo XIV plans to make an important visit to Turkey and Lebanon. The itinerary includes a pilgrimage to the city of Iznik in Turkey and support for the Christian community in Lebanon. This trip has symbolic significance for the development of relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, as well as for drawing attention to the plight of Christians in the Middle East.