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.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party is on course for victory, with Armenian media reporting that the country's Central Election Commission...
Iran says the first wave of attacks on Israel since April's ceasefire has ended, but warned of further strikes if Israel continues military action in ...
Uzbekistan and Russia have agreed to deepen cooperation in agriculture, energy and food security following high-level meetings held during the St Pete...
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that the U.S. would bear direct responsibility for any escalation in West Asia a...
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedric...
Barcelona is preparing to mark a historic milestone in the legacy of architect Antoni Gaudí as Pope Leo XIV visits the city this week to inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família basilica, almost exactly 100 years after the visionary architect’s death.
Pope Leo XIV has issued a historic apology for the Catholic Church’s past role in legitimising slavery, describing it as a “wound in Christian memory,” as he released a landmark encyclical addressing human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.
Pope Leo is set to visit France from 25 to 28 September, with a stop at UNESCO headquarters in Paris expected to form a significant part of the trip.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to discuss Cuba and global religious freedom with Pope Leo during a visit to the Vatican on Thursday (7 May), following recent criticism from President Donald Trump over the pope’s comments on the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party is on course for victory, with Armenian media reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
For about three decades after the Soviet collapse, Armenia anchored its foreign and security policy to Moscow.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for high-level talks in Westminster focused on ending the war in Ukraine.
A French Rafale fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia on Monday (8 June), triggering security alerts and renewing concerns about the impact of the war in Ukraine on NATO's eastern flank.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
A city north of Tokyo has suspended classes at all 94 of its primary and middle schools after its first-ever reported bear sighting, amid growing concern over increasing encounters between bears and people across Japan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment