Pope eyes trip to Lebanon, Turkey late November

Preparations are underway for Pope Leo XIV to travel to Turkey and Lebanon at the end of November in what would be his first trip abroad, Vatican sources told the media.

The two-stage trip would likely last just under a week, the media understands. The Vatican does not normally confirm official visits until closer to the time.

It would mark the first foreign trip for the US-born pontiff since he became head of the world’s Catholics in May.

Leo said in July that he hoped to visit the Turkish city Iznik for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea this year, a milestone in Church history.

A spokesman for the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, confirmed to the media he has invited the pontiff to Istanbul for an event on November 29.

They would then travel to Iznik together for the anniversary of the first Nicaea council on November 30 -- Saint Andrew’s Day.

Convened by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD, the council was the first to bring together Christian bishops from across the Roman Empire.

It laid the foundations for the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith that intended to exclude certain so-called heresies.

The creed confirmed there was one God who exists in three parts -- the Father, the Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit -- which remains the cornerstone doctrine for most Christian denominations.

Vatican sources said preparations were also underway for a visit to Lebanon during the same trip.

Patriarch Beshara Rai, head of Lebanon’s Maronite church, said in a television interview in August that the pontiff would visit the country “by December”.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is a Maronite Christian, extended the invitation while visiting the Vatican in June.

The last pope to visit multi-faith Lebanon was Benedict XVI in September 2012.

Pope Francis visited Turkey in 2014 and had hoped to return for this year’s Nicaea commemorations, but cancelled the trip due to ill-health.

Agence France-Presse