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Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign trip as pope will take him to Iznik (Nicaea), Türkiye, to mark a landmark anniversary for Christian unity and to visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul on Nov. 27-30, Vatican sources announced on Monday.
The 70-year-old American pontiff will travel to Türkiye before visiting Lebanon. Nicaea, now Iznik in northwestern Türkiye, is one of the significant councils recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Leo will fly there by helicopter on Nov. 28 for a brief prayer near the ruins of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos.
The main purpose of Leo’s visit to Türkiye is to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which signifies a significant milestone in the history of Christianity. The pope plans to pray alongside Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, underscoring efforts to strengthen ties between the two churches.
Leo will also visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, locally known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but will not visit Hagia Sophia, the former Byzantine cathedral converted back into a mosque, unlike previous popes did.
According to the Vatican’s itinerary, Leo’s Nov. 27-Dec. 2 Türkiye, Lebanon trip, will focus on dialogue, the situation of Christians in the Middle East and ongoing regional issues. It will also fulfill a long-delayed papal promise: Pope Francis, who died earlier this year, had hoped to visit Lebanon but was prevented by the country’s crises.
The trip will include official meetings with Turkish and Lebanese leaders, as well as Masses and gatherings with local clergy.
On the final day, Leo will visit the site of the Beirut port blast, which occurred on Aug. 4, 2020, triggered by tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse, killing at least 218 people, wounding more than 6,000 and leveling much of the Lebanese capital.
Leo will celebrate Mass on Beirut’s waterfront and visit neighborhoods near the capital.
