Pope Leo XIV Embarks on First Foreign Visit to Turkey
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing mehr News Agency and Al-Mayadeen, Pope Leo XIV began his first foreign trip today by traveling to Turkey. During this visit, he is set to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, before proceeding to lebanon.
The first American pope in Catholic Church history selected Turkey-a predominantly muslim country-as his initial foreign destination to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.This council established the Nicene Creed, which remains central to most Christian denominations worldwide.
Pope Leo will deliver his first speech outside the Vatican today and will tour cultural sites in Turkey ahead of his trip to Lebanon.
An Al-Mayadeen correspondent in Vatican City reported that at 8:40 a.m., Pope Leo officially embarked on his inaugural international journey accompanied by a diplomatic delegation as well as medical and press teams bound for Turkey.
His visit begins in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city, where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and address political leaders.
This evening, Pope Leo will travel to Istanbul-the residence of Patriarch Bartholomew-who is recognized as the spiritual head for 260 million Orthodox Christians globally.
On Friday, Pope Leo and patriarch Bartholomew are scheduled to visit İznik (formerly known as Nicaea), located about 140 kilometers southeast of Istanbul.This site holds historical significance as where early church leaders formulated the nicene Creed outlining core Christian beliefs embraced by most believers today.
The pope’s journey to Lebanon begins next Sunday with peace expected to be its main focus.
Following a brutal airstrike by Israeli forces on Beirut’s southern suburb Dahieh in recent days, Vatican spokesperson matteo Bruni confirmed that necessary security measures are underway to ensure papal safety during his stay in Lebanon.
