- Pope Leo XIV undertook his inaugural official papal trip from November 27 to December 2, visiting Turkey and Lebanon, a significant journey marked by a focus on unity, peace, and fraternity in a region rich in ancient faith but burdened by present suffering.
- A crucial ecumenical highlight of the trip was Pope Leo’s commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea on November 28, where he joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and other Christian leaders at the archaeological site of the Basilica of St. Neophytus in Iznik, Turkey, a location historically significant as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed.
- In Turkey, Pope Leo engaged with the small Catholic community, which constitutes only 0.05% of the population, at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, urging them to embrace the “logic of littleness” as a source of strength for authentic Christian witness rather than being disheartened by their small numbers.
- The Pope’s visit to Lebanon included a historic first at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, where he became the first pope to pray at the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a deeply symbolic gesture of respect and spiritual connection for thousands of daily visitors to the site.
- A profoundly emotional moment of the trip occurred when Pope Leo visited the ruins of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, offering silent prayer, laying a wreath in memory of the 236 victims, and meeting with grieving family members and survivors who continue to seek truth and accountability five years after one of history’s largest non-nuclear blasts.
Powerful moments from Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Turkey and Lebanon
