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Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Pope Leo to Carry Peace Message to Turkey and Lebanon on First Overseas Trip
Caption: Pope Leo to Carry Peace Message to Turkey and Lebanon on First Overseas Trip. Pope Leo embarks Thursday on his first foreign trip as pontiff, visiting Turkey and Lebanon with a mission to promote peace and Christian unity. The first U.S. pope will deliver his initial speeches to foreign governments and visit sensitive cultural sites between 27 November and 2 December. His predecessor, Pope Francis, had planned similar visits but was unable to travel due to declining health before his death in April. In Turkey, Leo will meet Patriarch Bartholomew for joint events marking the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque. He will celebrate Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, moved from the smaller cathedral due to high public interest. In Lebanon — home to the Middle East’s largest Christian population — Leo is expected to appeal for peace as the country faces economic collapse, refugee pressures and renewed Israeli-Hezbollah tensions. The pope will visit the Beirut port explosion site, lead an interfaith meeting and celebrate a waterfront Mass, though he will not travel south amid ongoing Israeli strikes. Vatican observers say the trip is a pivotal moment for Leo to capture global attention and define his diplomatic leadership in a region marked by war and humanitarian crisis. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Pope Leo,Turkey visit,Lebanon visit,peace message,Patriarch Bartholomew,Beirut port explosion,Middle East tensions
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