Overview
- Pope Leo departs Nov. 27 for Ankara, Istanbul and İznik before traveling to Lebanon through Dec. 2, in a debut tour centered on Christian unity and regional peace.
- He will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in İznik, where a joint declaration and prayer are planned without participation from the Moscow Patriarchate.
- In Turkey, the schedule includes a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a visit to the Blue Mosque, and a Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena.
- In Lebanon, plans call for an outdoor Mass on the Beirut waterfront, meetings with youth and religious leaders, and silent prayer at the 2020 port blast site as a signal of support for a country in crisis.
- Organizers cite heightened risks after recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, confirm all necessary security measures, and say the pope will not travel to the south of the country.