Pope Leo XIV has asked for prayers ahead of his first international apostolic trip to Türkiye and Lebanon, which begins today. Source: Vatican News.
The Pope spoke of the visit at the end of his General Audience yesterday, describing the countries he would be travelling to as “rich in history and spirituality.”
His journey, he said, would also be an opportunity to “commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council,” which was held in Nicaea, modern-day İznik in Türkiye, and to “meet with the Catholic community, our Christian brothers and sisters, and those of other religions.”
The Pope brought his reflection to a close by asking his listeners “to accompany me with your prayers.”
Pope Leo will arrive in Türkiye around midday local time today, and will meet privately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before addressing Turkish authorities.
Tomorrow, in İznik, the Pope will participate in an ecumenical prayer service marking the anniversary.
On Saturday, he will celebrate Mass in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena before travelling on Sunday to Lebanon. There, he will meet with groups including local authorities, Church leaders, representatives of other religions, and young people.
On Tuesday, he will celebrate public Mass at the Beirut Waterfront before heading back to Rome in the afternoon.
Speaking ahead of the Pope’s journey, Holy See Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said that Türkiye “was a cradle of Christianity, where the first communities arose.”
“The Council of Nicaea,” Cardinal Parolin said, “laid the foundations of our faith: belief in Jesus Christ as fully divine and fully human.”
He also emphasised the importance of the Pope’s visit to Lebanon, which, he said, “has made some progress in resolving the crisis that has affected it in recent years.”
The country now has “a president, a government, and there are reforms underway”, Cardinal Parolin said. “But many difficulties, delays, and obstacles remain, which could slow or frustrate the population’s expectations.”
In this context, he said, the Pope’s message would be one of “encouragement”, an invitation to “keep going, have courage, continue on the path you have begun.”
FULL STORY
Pope asks for prayers ahead of visit to Türkiye and Lebanon (By Joseph Tulloch, Vatican News)
