The Pope to Visit Türkiye and Beirut Blast Site on These Dates

In a landmark announcement, the Vatican has unveiled the itinerary for Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign trip, scheduled from 27 November to 2 December 2025, taking him first to Türkiye and then Lebanon. 

The journey begins in Türkiye, where the Pope will arrive on 27 November in Ankara and later travel to Istanbul. In Türkiye, his visit will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) in Iznik, and includes inter-Christian dialogue with Orthodox leadership. 

On 29 November, the Pope will visit İstanbul’s famed Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque) and meet with Christian community leaders before celebrating Mass in the Volkswagen Arena. 

The second leg begins on 30 November when Pope Leo XIV travels to Lebanon. His schedule includes meetings with Lebanese political and religious leaders, followed by a poignant visit on 2 December to the 2020 port explosion site in Beirut—a moment of silent prayer for the hundreds killed and thousands impacted. 

The purpose behind this trip extends beyond diplomacy. It emphasizes ecumenical unity, inter-faith dialogue and a call for peace across the Middle East, aligning with the Pope’s earlier remarks on regional tensions and the plight of Christian minorities. 

With Türkiye and Lebanon both bearing deep religious and historical significance—Türkiye for the early Church council and Lebanon for its multi-confessional society and recent crises—the visit reflects Pope Leo’s vision of outreach and reconciliation. The visit to the Beirut blast site in particular underscores a message of solidarity with suffering communities and a global church attentive to trauma and healing.

This article was previously published on bahrainmoments. To see the original article, click here