Azernews.Az

The new leader of the Catholics, Pope Leo, will visit Türkiye and Lebanon at the end of November, according to a statement from the Vatican.

This trip will be Pope Leo’s first official visit outside Italy.

The US-born Pope Leo will be in Türkiye from November 27 to 30, after which he will proceed to Lebanon from November 30 to December 2.

During the visit, the Pope is expected to highlight the challenges faced by Christians in the Middle East and make calls for peace in the region.

Pope Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, had announced a visit to Iznik months in advance, but passed away before coming to Türkiye. The Iznik trip had been one of Pope Francis’ last wishes.

Pope Leo’s journey is also linked to the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 1700, which resolved the long-debated question within the Catholic Church regarding the divinity of Jesus and his connection to God. By undertaking this trip, Pope Leo will fulfill the last wish of his predecessor.

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and the Vatican were established on April 11, 1960, following President Celal Bayar’s visit to the Vatican in 1959 and his meeting with Pope John XXIII. Subsequently, embassies were mutually opened, with Türkiye’s embassy in the Vatican starting operations in 1962.

The first papal visit to Türkiye was made in 1967 by Pope Paul VI. Later visits included Pope John Paul II in 1979, Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, and, most recently, Pope Francis from November 28 to 30, 2014.