First foreign trip: Leo XIV marks 1,700 years of Nicaea in Turkey, then visits Lebanon
From 27 November to 2 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV made his first apostolic journey abroad. In İznik he joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea; he then travelled to Lebanon on a visit centred on peace.
Updated · originally
Pope Leo XIV's first trip outside Italy took him to Türkiye and Lebanon. The centrepiece was a joint commemoration at İznik with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of the First Council of Nicaea, which in 325 produced the creed still shared by most Christians. In Lebanon he pressed for peace and stability.
Why it mattered
The journey completed a visit Pope Francis had planned, and put Christian unity and interreligious dialogue at the centre of the pontificate. See the trip page: Turkey & Lebanon 2025.
Context
It was the first of several journeys in Leo XIV's first eighteen months, followed by Monaco, four African countries and Spain, with France scheduled for September 2026.
Sources
- Primary sourceVatican.va (Holy See) — Leo XIV — official texts, homilies, speeches and documents · Primary / official full texts
- Official sourceHoly See Press Office — Holy See Press Office — Daily Bulletin · Official bulletin, schedule and travel notices
- Official sourceVatican News — Vatican News — Dicastery for Communication · Official Vatican news service
- News sourceCatholic News Agency — CNA — Vatican · Reporting
LeoPope links to primary and official texts wherever they exist. See our sources policy.