Pope Leo XIV Begins First Overseas Trip with Visit to Turkey
Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic Church, began his first official overseas trip on Wednesday, December 6, departing the Vatican for Turkey. His first stop is the capital, Ankara, where he is scheduled to meet with political leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Pope’s visit comes as Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, has been selected as the first destination to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The council took place in 325 AD in the ancient city of Nicaea—modern-day İznik—where early church leaders adopted the famous Nicene Creed.
Following his visit to Ankara, Pope Leo will travel to Istanbul, where he is expected to have dinner this evening with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of over 260 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. On Thursday, both religious leaders will journey together to İznik, located about 140 kilometers southeast of Istanbul, to visit the historic site of the Council.
According to the Vatican, the Pope is accompanied by a delegation consisting of diplomats, journalists, and healthcare staff. During his visit to Turkey, he is also expected to tour several cultural sites and deliver his first official overseas speech.
Vatican spokespersons have confirmed that Pope Leo is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon this coming Sunday, with his visit focused on calling for peace in the region. The trip follows a recent Israeli airstrike on the Dahiyeh area in southern Beirut.
Given the fragile security situation, the Vatican has put in place special security measures for the Pope’s trip to Lebanon. These visits come amid mounting concerns from human rights organizations regarding the restriction of religious freedoms under regimes such as the Taliban, highlighting the increasing importance of religious leaders in promoting tolerance and coexistence.
