Pope Leo arrived in Ankara on Thursday for his first trip outside Italy since becoming head of the Catholic Church, choosing Turkey and Lebanon for a closely watched tour focused on peace and Christian unity. The visit marks 1,700 years since the early Church council at Nicaea, which produced the Nicene Creed.
Leo, the first United States pope and a former missionary in Peru, has a packed three-day schedule in Turkey before continuing to Lebanon on Sunday. He is expected to meet President Tayyip Erdogan, address political leaders, and visit Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul. The two will travel to Iznik, site of the historic council.
The Vatican says Leo will speak English during the trip, a departure from usual papal practice. His geopolitical outlook remains largely unknown, making this tour a key moment for observers. In Beirut, the pope is expected to appeal for peace as Lebanon faces spillover from the Gaza conflict and growing fears of escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.