Pope Leo XIV’s first trip to Turkey and Lebanon (Nov 27-Dec 2) focuses on Christian unity and peace, with visits to Nicaea, Blue Mosque, and Beirut’s port.
Newsroom (27/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Vatican Press Office has unveiled the itinerary for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural international apostolic journey, a six-day pilgrimage to Turkey and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, 2025, marked by 16 speeches and visits to historic and contemporary sites of significance. The program, announced exactly one month before the pontiff’s departure, includes distinct logos and mottos for each leg of the trip, reflecting its dual themes of Christian unity and peacemaking.
In Turkey, from November 27 to 30, Pope Leo XIV will visit Ankara, Istanbul, and Iznik to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea alongside Patriarch Bartholomew. The visit, themed “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5), underscores the ecumenical focus of the trip. In Lebanon, from November 30 to December 2, the Pope will deliver a message of dialogue and reconciliation, centered on the Gospel call, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), as he engages with diverse communities in Beirut and beyond.
Turkey: A Journey of Ecumenical Unity
The pontiff’s journey begins in Ankara on November 27, where he will pay respects at the Ataturk Mausoleum, meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and address authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. That evening, he will travel to Istanbul. On November 28, Pope Leo XIV will meet with Catholic clergy and pastoral workers at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and visit a nursing home operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Later, he will travel to Iznik, the site of the ancient Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, which shaped the Christian creed. There, near the ruins of the Basilica of Nicaea, he will join an ecumenical prayer gathering, a centerpiece of the visit.
On November 29, the Pope will visit Istanbul’s iconic Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, but notably, the itinerary excludes a stop at Hagia Sophia, visited by predecessors Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI when it was a museum. Reverted to a mosque in 2020 by President Erdoğan, the historic Christian basilica will not feature in this pontificate’s program. That afternoon, Pope Leo XIV will sign a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I and celebrate Mass with Istanbul’s Catholic community at the Volkswagen Arena. On November 30, he will participate in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George for the feast of St. Andrew, imparting a joint blessing with the Patriarch before departing for Lebanon.
Lebanon: A Message of Healing and Dialogue
Arriving in Beirut on the afternoon of November 30, Pope Leo XIV will meet Lebanon’s leadership—President Joseph Aoun (Maronite), Speaker Nabih Berri (Shiite), and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam—before addressing authorities and civil society. On December 1, he will visit the tomb of St. Charbel in Annaya and meet with clergy and religious at the Marian shrine in Harissa. Later, he will lead an interfaith gathering in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, a symbolic venue for unity, followed by a youth encounter at the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerké.
The trip’s emotional pinnacle comes on December 2, when the Pope will pause for silent prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, which claimed 218 lives and injured 7,000. Earlier that day, he will visit the Hospital de la Croix in Jal el Deib. The journey will conclude with a Mass at the Beirut Waterfront and a farewell ceremony before the pontiff’s return to Rome.
A Pontificate’s Opening Chapter
Pope Leo XIV’s first international trip signals a commitment to fostering Christian unity in Turkey and supporting Lebanon’s fragile coexistence amid ongoing challenges. By engaging with historical milestones like the Council of Nicaea and contemporary wounds like the Beirut explosion, the pontiff aims to bridge past and present, faith and reconciliation, in a region where both are deeply intertwined.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
Related Images:
