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Pope Leo Xiv will travel turkey And Lebanon On the first foreign trip to his sinner next month, making a symbolic gesture for Christians and Muslims Pope Francis planned to travel on a pilgrimage of two countries.
The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Leo would visit Turkey from 27-30 November, and Lebanon from 30 November. 2. Türkiye’s visit will include a pilgrimage from Econnic, which is to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecological council Nicia.
Anniversary is an important moment in Catholic-rugistic relations, and Francis planned to mark it with his own visit to Turkey in May at the invitation of Pitrisatta Bartholomu I, the spiritual leader of the world’s orthodox Christians.
Francis died in April, and Leo said from the beginning of his sinner that he intends to fulfill Francis’ plans.
This journey will give the first American Pope a chance to speak in broad words about peace in the Middle East and the plight of Christians there.
Like his predecessor Francis, Leo has consistently called for peace and dialogue in the Middle East, especially as Israel’s aggressive anger in Gaza.
The last Pope was the Pope to visit Lebanon Benedict XVI What was his sinner’s last foreign journey in September 2012.
Francis had long hoped to visit Lebanon, but the country’s political and economic instability stopped a journey during his lifetime.
About 6 million, including more than 1 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees, the Mediterranean nation, is the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East and is the only Arab country with a Christian head of the state.
However, the Vatican fears that the instability of the country has been particularly dangerous for the continuous presence of its Christian community, which is a bull for the church in the Middle East.
Lebanon is currently struggling to recover after years of economic crisis and a warful war between Israel and Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah It ended in November with a US and France-Brokede ceasefire. The formation of a new, reformist government in November ended the two -year political vacuum and brought hopes of recovery but the situation remains tense.
Lebanese President Joseph Aun announced a visit to X, but only provided dates. Vatican said the journey journey will be released at a later date.
Israel has continued to capture five strategic points on the border’s Lebanese side and carried out the near-legal aerial attack, which aims to prevent Hizbullah from re-organizing. Hizbullah is increasing domestic and international pressure to release his remaining arsenal, but has refused to do so until Israel takes back. There are apprehensions of civil struggle if the Lebanese officials attempted to force the group.
About one-third of Lebanon’s population is considered Christian, although there has not been an official census since 1932. Meronights are the largest and most powerful sects and by the conference, the President of Lebanon is always a Maronite Christian.
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Choline Barry contributed to Milan.
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