Pope Leo XIV Begins First Major Overseas Trip to Turkey, Lebanon

Pope Leo XIV, the first American ever to lead the Catholic Church, is packing his bags for his first overseas trip. Starting November 27, he’ll spend four days in Turkey and then head to Lebanon until December 2, visiting eight cities in all. The Vatican calls it a “pilgrimage of unity,” but to most people, it’s just the new pope getting out to meet the world.

The 68-year-old Chicago native—formerly Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald—was elected in May after Pope Francis died in April. He’s wasting no time. In Turkey, he’ll team up with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the leader of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians, in Istanbul.

They’ll mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, an ancient church meeting that happened in what’s now the Turkish town of Iznik. The pope will also sit down with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, pray inside Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque to show respect for Muslims, and celebrate Mass for thousands at the city’s Volkswagen Arena.

• Pope Leo XIV to visit Turkey and Lebanon on first overseas trip as pontiff
• New Pope Leo XIV begins “pilgrimage of unity” to Turkey and Lebanon in November
• Pope Leo XIV heads to Istanbul and Beirut on landmark first trip abroad

On November 30, he flies to Lebanon—a country still reeling from economic collapse and war. In Beirut, he’ll meet President Joseph Aoun, host a gathering of leaders from different faiths, and hold an open-air Mass by the sea. He’ll also stop at the port where a massive explosion in 2020 killed more than 200 people and wrecked half the city. There, he’ll pray for the victims and push for healing.

Rev. John Chryssavgis, adviser to Patriarch Bartholomew, hailed the choice of destination: "It is profoundly symbolical that Pope Leo will visit the patriarch on his first official journey," signaling a renewed push for Christian unity.

Turkey and Lebanon are both mostly Muslim countries, and the visits come at a tough time. Turkey is still rebuilding after earthquakes and dealing with issues on its Syrian border. Lebanon is caught between Hezbollah and Israel, and it hasn’t had a functioning government for years.

Still, Vatican officials say the pope wants to focus on people—refugees, the poor, anyone caught in the crossfire. “He’s building bridges,” one spokesperson said.

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Back in St. Peter’s Square, where the trip was announced, Pope Leo quoted his predecessor: “In our differences, we see God’s face.” For a guy from Chicago, that’s a pretty good start.