Vatican City, Oct 27, 2025 / 12:30 pm

The Vatican on Monday released the full program for Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic journey, which will take him to Turkey and Lebanon from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2.

The trip will center on two key moments: a pilgrimage to İznik (ancient Nicaea) to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea and a visit to the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf in Lebanon.

The Council of Nicaea, convened in 325 by Emperor Constantine, was a turning point in Christian history. It produced the original formulation of the Nicene Creed — later adopted as the universal profession of faith — and set out to unify the date of Easter across the Church.

Turkey: Honoring Christian unity and dialogue

The pope will depart from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport on Thursday, Nov. 27, a

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