By Christopher Lamb, NCS
(NCS) — Pope Leo XIV will make his first international trip by visiting Turkey and Lebanon the place he’s anticipated to deal with peace in the Middle East, meet political leaders and present his assist to Christians in the area.
The first American pope will travel to Turkey from November 27-30 and then go to Lebanon from November 30 till December 2. While in Turkey, the pope will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, an vital church gathering which articulated Christian beliefs. The “Nicene creed” remains to be recited in church buildings internationally at this time. The Vatican stated Leo will travel to the city of Iznik, modern-day Nicaea, for the anniversary and whereas in Turkey is anticipated to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew, the non secular chief of the roughly 300 million Eastern orthodox Christians.
The Vatican stated Leo was invited to go to Turkey and Lebanon by each civil and church leaders of each nations. Both are locations Pope Francis had deliberate to go to earlier than his well being issues. The president of Lebanon Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian, invited Leo to go to the nation when he met the pope in the Vatican in June. Lebanon is house to a big Christian group, of which the Maronites are the most important, and the Vatican has paid shut consideration to the nation’s political difficulties. In August, Leo despatched a message for a service commemorating the 200 killed in the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and it’s anticipated that he will commemorate the victims whereas in Lebanon.
An in depth itinerary of his trip has but to be launched, however journeys overseas are a chance for the pope to train smooth energy by addressing the nation’s political leaders, assembly church leaders and these of various religions whereas supporting to the native Catholic group.
“We welcome this historic event with great joy and renewed hope,” Lebanon’s Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishop stated in an announcement. “We hope that this apostolic visit to Lebanon will bring peace and stability and be a sign of unity for all Lebanese, Christians and Muslims alike, at this critical stage in our nation’s history.”
Meanwhile, Rev. John Chryssavgis, an adviser to Patriarch Bartholomew, instructed Reuters that Leo’s go to confirmed he’s “seeking to express and affirm his identity as a Christian in a world of many different creeds, where all people, regardless of religion and race, are called to live together in mutual understanding.”
The-NCS-Wire
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