Pope Leo XIV greets reporters aboard a flight on his method to Ankara, Turkey, for a six-day journey to Turkey and Lebanon, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.
Domenico Stinellis/AP
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Domenico Stinellis/AP
ROME, Italy — Shortly after the aircraft took off from Rome in direction of Ankara, Pope Leo XIV got here to greet the press on board. “Buongiorno a tutti,” he stated. “And to the Americans here: happy Thanksgiving! It’s a wonderful day to celebrate.”
That is the primary international journey for Leo, the primary American pope, since he was chosen for the papacy in Might this 12 months. Being confronted with greater than 80 journalists from over 15 nations, able to report his each phrase and transfer, may appear daunting. However the pope appeared to take the state of affairs in his stride.
He spoke with enthusiasm about his mission throughout this six day go to to Turkey and Lebanon, through which he goals to encourage world leaders to decide to making an attempt to convey peace. “We hope to announce, transmit, proclaim how important peace is throughout the world and to invite all people to come together to search for greater unity, greater harmony,” he stated. “And to look for the ways that all men and women can truly be brothers and sisters in spite of differences, in spite of different religions, in spite of different beliefs.”
Pope Leo advised the press corps on board the flight that “it’s so important today that the message be transmitted in a way that really reveals the truth and the harmony that the world needs.”
Pope Leo visits the Center East at a delicate time, as a tenuous ceasefire continues in Gaza after Israel’s devastating offensive there. In the meantime, Lebanon – the subsequent cease for the pope after Turkey – has additionally been blighted by struggle between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
Pope Leo XIV walks as he’s welcomed upon his arrival at Esenboga Worldwide Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, marking the start of his first international journey.
Khalil Hamra/AP
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Khalil Hamra/AP
Leo is scheduled to fulfill with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, and President Joseph Auon in Lebanon. He will even pray at each church buildings and mosques, and sit with leaders of various Christian denominations and completely different faiths together with Muslims and Druze.
In Turkey, he’ll go to the location of the Council of Nicaea, the place, 1700 years in the past, the assertion of religion was fashioned that’s nonetheless utilized in church by completely different Christian denominations. Leo described the Council of Nicaea as “the very meaning of unity”. “I very much have been looking forward to this trip for what it means for all Christians but it’s also a great message to the whole world,” he stated.
After saying these phrases, Pope Leo moved down the aircraft and shook palms with every journalist. Some members of the press handed him items to welcome him to his function – these included an icon of the virgin of Guadalupe to recall the years he spent in Latin America, and, on this Thanksgiving, a pumpkin pie.
