Pope Leo to visit eight cities in Turkey, Lebanon on first trip abroad as pontiff

FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV arrives to lead the Mass for the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, October 26, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo will visit eight towns and cities in Turkey and Lebanon later this year, the Vatican said on Monday, his first trip outside Italy as pontiff, and he is expected to make appeals for peace across the region.

Leo, the first U.S. pope, will visit Turkey from November 27 to 30 and then will be in Lebanon from November 30 to December 2.