At a pivotal moment in the Middle East, which is ablaze with tensions, Pope Leo XIV will begin his first foreign tour next Thursday.
It includes Türkiye and Lebanon, and extends for six days from November 27 to December 2.
This visit marks the beginning of his international activity,
and he is known for his calm personality,
which distinguishes him from his predecessor, Pope Francis.
The Pope’s message during this tour focuses on promoting interfaith dialogue
and reinforcing calls for peace in a region exhausted by conflicts and
where the Christian presence has noticeably declined.
A step that carries a glimmer of hope
In Türkiye, the first stop on the visit, the Pope will commemorate the 1700th anniversary
of the Council of Nicaea, during which the Christian “creed” was formulated.
This is a step that carries a glimmer of hope for the possibility
of renewing Christian unity despite contemporary tensions.
Although the visit is not generating much buzz in predominantly Muslim Türkiye,
it is generating exceptional enthusiasm in Lebanon.
Christians form a prominent part of the national fabric.
The Lebanese are welcoming the Pope amidst an unprecedented crisis
that has gripped their country since 2019.
This includes everything from a devastating economic collapse
and decline in public services,
to the Beirut port explosion in 2020, and finally to the last war with Israel.
Highlighting the suffering of the Lebanese people
Vincent Gillot, director of the Lebanon and Syria office of the “Action of the Orient” Foundation,
confirms that the Lebanese are “exhausted and are waiting for a word of truth and tangible actions.”
Meanwhile, the Lebanese ambassador to the Vatican, Fadi Assaf, believes
that the visit will contribute to highlighting the suffering of the Lebanese
and shedding light on their need for a political and economic breakthrough.
In the areas that the Pope will visit, preparations are accelerating,
from paving roads to erecting banners that read “Lebanon wants peace.”
This is despite the continued almost daily Israeli violations in the south.
But the Lebanese realize that the Pope’s visit, despite its symbolism,
will not be a magic solution to their complex crises.
Instead, it will focus on supporting private institutions, both religious and medical.
Including the psychiatric hospital that he will visit during his trip.
Attendance of 100,000 people
The visit to Lebanon also includes a meeting with young people,
and a mass expected to draw 100,000 people.
In addition to a silent prayer near the port of Beirut
to commemorate the victims of the 2020 explosion.
In Türkiye, the Pope will reaffirm his vision of dialogue with the Islamic
world by meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and visiting the Blue Mosque.
However, the main focus of the visit will be the commemoration
of the Council of Nicaea at the invitation of Patriarch Bartholomew I.
This comes amid deep tensions between Europe and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
A message of peace and unity
The Pope will participate in a joint prayer on the shores of Lake Iznik,
an event that the late Pope Francis was scheduled to attend.
Meetings between Catholics and Orthodox Christians are gaining
added importance today with the escalating divide
between the Catholic West and Orthodox Russia since 2022.
With this tour, Pope Leo XIV is heading towards the Middle East
carrying a message of peace and unity.
This comes at a time when the region is most in need
of hope and relief from its open wounds.
