Pope Leo to visit Turkey, Lebanon in November in first trip abroad

7/10/2025 18:34

Pope Leo will travel to Turkey and Lebanon in late November, the Vatican announced on Tuesday, in the first visit outside Italy by the new leader of the 1.4-billion-member global Catholic Church.



Leo, the first U.S. pope, will visit Turkey from November 27-30 before heading to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2, where he is expected to speak about the plight of Christians in the Middle East and to make appeals for peace across the region.



Leo was elected by the world's Catholic cardinals on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, who had planned to visit both countries but was unable to go because of health issues.



The pope is expected to meet in Turkey with Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's 260 million Orthodox Christians, for celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of a major early Church council, which took place in Nicaea, now called Iznik.



Travelling abroad has become a major part of the modern papacy, with popes seeking to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy.