Pope Leo XIV has concluded his first apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon. It is one of the most important steps he has taken since he was elected to the papacy in May.
The Pope traveled through the Middle East for almost a week. Arriving in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday, November 27, he spent three days there before traveling to Lebanon on Sunday, November 30.
During his first speech in Turkey, Pope Leo emphasized the need to recognize our common humanity despite religious differences.
POPE LEO XIV
For this reason, in a society like the one here in Turkey, where religion plays a visible role, it is essential to honor the dignity and freedom of all God’s children, both men and women, fellow nationals and foreigners, poor and rich. We are all children of God, and this has personal, social and political implications.
The Pope's repeated calls for peace and unity were rooted in the Biblical motto of the trip, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Pope Leo XIV and Bartholomew I, Patriarch of Constantinople, forged history together when they met and prayed at the site where the early Church held its first ecumenical council, the Council of Nicaea. That day marked the 1,700th anniversary of the Council.
POPE LEO XIV
Faith in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, born of the Father before all ages […] consubstantial with the Father (Nicene Creed) is a profound bond that already unites all Christians. In this sense, quoting Saint Augustine, even in the ecumenical sphere we can say that ‘although we are many Christians, in the one Christ we are one.’
Commemorating the anniversary in this way, Pope Leo fulfilled the wish of Pope Francis, namely, a shared celebration of the Council from which the Creed originated, promoting unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
The Pope also visited the famous Blue Mosque in Turkey, where both of his immediate predecessors, Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, had visited in 2006 and 2014, respectively.
Rain poured down in Lebanon but that did not stop the Lebanese people from joyfully welcoming the Pope with music and dancing as he arrived in the country.
Pope Leo delivered his opening speech soon after arriving. In it he included a message about the instrumental role of women in promoting peace.
POPE LEO XIV
In this context, I would like to emphasize the essential role of women in the arduous and patient endeavour to preserve and build peace. Let us not forget that women have a special capacity for peace-making, because they know how to cherish and strengthen the profound bonds with life, people and places.
On the Pope's second day in Lebanon, he shared powerful words with the audience at the Shrine of the country's patroness, Our Lady of Harissa. Despite our troubled times, he reminded us to encourage younger generations and to gave them hope for the future.
A devastating explosion in August 2020 at the port of Beirut in Lebanon left 236 dead. More than 7,000 people were injured and there was countless material loss. It is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of Lebanon.
Knowing the extensive suffering that the tragedy has caused the people of Lebanon, Pope Leo visited the site marking the epicenter of where the blast occurred. There the Pope met with families of the victims to whom he offered consolation and prayers.
Over 150,000 people accompanied the Pope for his final public appearance in Lebanon, which was a Mass on the Beirut Waterfront. The massive audience demonstrated the Lebanese peoples' affection for Pope Leo. He left them with these parting words.
POPE LEO XIV
The Word of the Lord invites us to find the small lights that shine in the heart of the night, to open ourselves to gratitude and to encourage us to commit together in favor of this land.
The core messages the Pope left behind in both Turkey and Lebanon can be summed up in four words: unity, justice, fraternity, and peace.
