Pope Leo XIV to visit Türkiye

Details of the itinerary in Türkiye and Lebanon for Pope Leo XIV, who was elected as the new spiritual leader of the Catholic Church in May, have been shared by the Vatican Press Office.

According to the schedule provided by the Vatican Press Office, Pope Leo XIV will first engage in official meetings in the capital, Ankara, on November 27 and then travel to Istanbul in the evening.

On November 28, the Pope will travel from Istanbul to Iznik, where he will participate in ceremonies marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, an event of significant importance in Christian history.

On November 29, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the Sultanahmet Mosque and then meet with the Christian communities in Istanbul. Later that day, he is also expected to conduct a ceremony at the Volkswagen Arena.

The visit of Pope Leo XIV to Türkiyewas first mentioned following the announcement made by the previous Pope Francis in June 2024. Pope Francis had expressed his desire to visit Türkiye on the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea in 2025.
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, before the planned visit in May 2025, attention turned to what the next Pope would decide regarding this matter.
Pope Leo XIV, elected as the 267th and new Pope of the Catholic Church on May 8, addressed this topic in a meeting with journalists on May 12, responding "I am aware. We are preparing," when reminded of his predecessor's wish to visit Nicaea.