On Thursday, November 27, Pope Leo XIV began his first Apostolic journey to the Middle East. According to Vatican News, the itinerary will cover Turkey and Lebanon.
The first leg of the journey begins in Turkey and takes place in the context of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, which took place at Nicaea.
The program includes visits to Ankara, Istanbul, and Iznik, the ancient Nicaea, which today bears the name Iznik.
Leo XIV aims to carry out Pope Francis’s plan to commemorate, together with representatives of different Christian confessions, the 1700th anniversary of the Council at the very place where it was held.
The Pope, with a delegation, departed from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport toward Ankara.
An official meeting with a government representative is expected at the airport: no speeches are planned, and only the introductions of the delegations and military honors will be conducted.
The Pope will meet privately with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, before addressing the Turkish authorities.
Itinerary and Key Events
On November 28 in Nicaea, the modern Iznik, the Pope will take part in an ecumenical prayer service marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council.
On Saturday, the Pontiff will celebrate Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena.
On Sunday, November 30, he will travel to Lebanon, where he will meet with local authorities, church leaders, representatives of other religions, and youth.
On Tuesday, December 2, the Pope will celebrate a public Mass on Beirut’s waterfront before returning to Rome.
This journey underscores the commitment to dialogue among Christian confessions and peace.