Pope Leon XIV is expected to make his first foreign trip since his election in the coming period. Specifically, he will visit Turkey and Lebanon. This visit has strong symbolic significance, as it represents a gesture of outreach to both Christians and Muslims, and includes a pilgrimage to two countries that Pope Francis had also intended to visit.
According to the Vatican’s announcement on Tuesday, the Pope will travel to Turkey from November 27 to 30, and then to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2. During his visit to Turkey, he will travel to Iznik to honor the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council.
It should be noted that this anniversary represents a significant milestone in Catholic-Orthodox relations, and Francis had planned to honor it with his own trip to Turkey in May, following an invitation from Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide. It is recalled that Francis passed away in April, and Leon declared from the beginning of his papacy that he intended to complete Francis’s plans. The trip will give the first American pope in history the opportunity to speak broadly about peace in the Middle East and the difficult situation of Christians there.
Pope Leon, like his predecessor Francis, constantly emphasizes the need for peace and dialogue in the Middle East
Pope Leon, like his predecessor Francis, constantly emphasizes the need for peace and dialogue in the Middle East, especially during this period when the Israeli offensive in Gaza continues. The last papal visit to Lebanon took place in September 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, as part of his final foreign trip as pontiff. Francis, who died on April 21, had long desired to visit Lebanon, but the country’s political and economic instability prevented him from making this visit during his lifetime.
