Pope Leo XIV will undertake his first international trip outside Italy, from November 27 to December 2, 2025, to Turkey and Lebanon. This trip, which commemorates the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, is framed in a spirit of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. It includes meetings with civil authorities, church leaders, and local communities, as well as moments of prayer, commemoration, and service.

Itinerary details and key moments

In Turkey (November 27-30)
On November 27, the Pope will arrive in Ankara from Rome, where he will be officially received. He will visit the Atatürk Mausoleum and meet with the President of the Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. That same day, he will travel to Istanbul.

On November 28, he will preside over a prayer meeting at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Istanbul with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, and pastoral workers, and will visit the House of the Little Sisters of the Poor. He will then travel by helicopter to İznik (ancient Nicaea) for an ecumenical celebration near the ruins of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos, in commemoration of the Council of Nicaea.

On November 29, he will visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and meet with local Christian communities at the Mor Ephrem Syrian Orthodox Church. Later, he will participate in a doxology ceremony at the Patriarchal Church of St. George and meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, with whom he will sign a Joint Declaration.

On November 30, the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, he will visit the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, where he will participate in a liturgy and meet with the Patriarch.

In Lebanon (November 30 – December 2)
The Pope will arrive in Beirut on the evening of November 30 and will meet with the President of Lebanon, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister. He will address civil authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps.

On December 1, he will visit the tomb of Saint Charbel Maklūf at Annaya Monastery and the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, where he will meet with pastors and pastoral workers. He will then hold a private meeting with the country’s Catholic patriarchs.

In the afternoon, he will participate in an ecumenical and interreligious meeting in Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, followed by a meeting with Lebanese youth in front of the Maronite Patriarchate of Bkerke.

On December 2, he will visit De La Croix Hospital in Jal Ed Dib and offer a silent prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion. Finally, he will celebrate the closing Mass on the Beirut waterfront.

Meaning of the journey

This trip has multiple purposes:

• Commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a symbol of Christian unity and ecumenical dialogue.
• Promote the encounter between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Churches, as well as with other religious denominations.
• Express our closeness to the suffering of the people, especially in Lebanon, a country marked by social and economic crises and the tragedy at the port of Beirut.

Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon represents a decisive commitment to peace, dialogue, and hope in a wounded region, underscoring the universal dimension of faith and shared Christian brotherhood.