Pope Leo XIV will make his first Apostolic Journey abroad later this year, traveling to Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, 2025, according to the Holy See Press Office.
Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, announced that the Pope accepted invitations from both civil and ecclesiastical authorities in the two nations. The journey will begin in Türkiye, where Pope Leo will mark a major moment in Christian history — a pilgrimage to İznik (ancient Nicaea) in honor of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, according to Vatican News. The Council, held in 325 A.D., was a cornerstone of Christian unity, affirming the divinity of Christ and shaping the Nicene Creed recited by the faithful at every Mass.
Following his visit to Türkiye, Pope Leo will continue on to Lebanon, with the detailed itinerary to be announced in the coming weeks.
A Message of Peace for a Suffering Region
The Pope’s upcoming visit carries profound symbolic and spiritual weight. The Apostolic Vicar of Beirut, Bishop César Essayan, described the news as “a great sign of hope” for Lebanon and the Middle East. Speaking to Vatican News’ Olivier Bonnel, Bishop Essayan said:
“We sincerely hope that his visit will bring a breath of peace and be a moment of renewal for us all, and that we will recognise that there is no path for humanity other than that of peace through dialogue, justice and respect for the dignity of every human being.”
In a region still scarred by war and displacement, the Bishop emphasized that both Christians and Muslims eagerly await the Pope’s arrival, united in their longing for peace. He added that the Holy Father’s words are uniquely needed today:
“They want to hear him speak words that we no longer hear from anyone except from a pastor, a father who desires that human beings come together as brothers and sisters, that there be another language than that of war for Lebanon.”
Continuing the Church’s Mission of Dialogue
This Apostolic Journey underscores Pope Leo XIV’s continued call for dialogue and fraternity among peoples and faiths, a mission deeply rooted in the Gospel and in the Church’s role as a bridge of reconciliation.
The visit to Nicaea, the birthplace of one of the Church’s foundational creeds, and to Lebanon, a nation with a deep Christian heritage amid complex religious diversity, reflects the Holy Father’s desire to renew hope through encounter and prayer.
As Bishop Essayan noted, the visit is not only diplomatic or symbolic—it is pastoral, offering encouragement to those who suffer and reminding the world that peace begins when hearts open to God and to one another.
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