Pope Leo Begins First Trip Abroad in Turkey & Lebanon

Pope Leo will make his first overseas trip as pontiff with a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, aiming to highlight peace, dialogue and humanitarian concerns in two pivotal Middle Eastern nations.

In Turkey, he will meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I as both leaders mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark moment in Christian history. The pope will visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque — his first mosque visit as pope — and celebrate Mass at the Volkswagen Arena. Turkey’s Catholic community is estimated at around 36,000 people in a country of more than 85 million, making the visit a rare moment of visibility for the minority.

Leo’s stop in Lebanon will focus on solidarity with a nation facing severe economic collapse, political paralysis and the ongoing burden of hosting nearly one million Syrian and Palestinian refugees. In Beirut, he will lead an outdoor Mass on the waterfront, take part in an interfaith gathering, and pray at the site of the 2020 port explosion that devastated the capital and killed more than 200 people.

• Pope Leo launches first foreign trip with visits to Turkey and Lebanon
• New pontiff highlights peace and dialogue on landmark Middle East tour
• Pope Leo’s debut overseas journey focuses on unity and humanitarian crises

Vatican observers say a pope’s first foreign trip often signals his diplomatic priorities. Retired Vatican analyst John Thavis noted that Leo must “connect with a wider audience” while addressing regional crises where issues of conflict, displacement and religious coexistence remain central.

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Pope Leo, elected on May 8 and the first American-born pope, begins his international outreach at a time when both Turkey and Lebanon sit at the intersection of regional tensions and long-standing religious traditions. His visit is expected to draw global attention to the challenges faced by both countries while reinforcing the Vatican’s call for stability and dialogue across the region.