The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will visit Türkiye and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2, his first trip abroad since assuming the papacy.

Pope Leo XIV will make his first apostolic journey outside Italy later this year, visiting Türkiye and Lebanon between November 27 and December 2, the Vatican confirmed on Tuesday.

The highlight of the six-day trip will be the Pontiff’s stop in the northwestern Turkish town of İznik, historically known as Nicaea, to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea — the historic gathering in 325 AD that produced the Nicene Creed, a foundational statement of Christian belief.

The submerged remains of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos and the Senate Palace on the shores of Lake İznik, both believed to have been venues of the council, were partially visible this week as lake waters receded.

İznik’s Hagia Sophia, another site tied to Church history, hosted the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. Built during the Roman era and later converted into a mosque by the Ottomans, the structure now serves as a functioning mosque, preserving both Islamic symbols and ancient Christian frescoes.

Pope Leo will be the fifth pontiff to visit Türkiye, following Pope Francis, who traveled there in 2014 to promote dialogue among Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim leaders.

The papal itinerary will also include Lebanon — a country that last hosted a papal visit in 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI arrived amid the early years of the Syrian conflict.

Today, Lebanon remains deeply affected by regional instability and continues to host the world’s highest number of refugees per capita, including about 1.5 million Syrians, according to a 2024 UNHCR report.

Further details on Pope Leo’s schedule and meetings are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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