Pope Leo XIV departed from Istanbul for Beirut to begin the second leg of his apostolic journey. The Pope's visit to Turkey concluded with a commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council. Pope Leo called for unity and overcoming divisions during the commemoration. The Pope will be received at Beirut airport by the Apostolic Nuncio and the Head of Protocol of Lebanon.
15 days ago
Pope Leo XIV's first international trip, from November 27 to December 2, 2025, spanned Turkey and Lebanon, marking a six-day apostolic journey focused on ecumenism, peace, and support for Christian communities in the Middle East.1 4 5
The visit commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in Turkey while addressing Lebanon's challenges, including conflict and the 2020 Beirut port explosion.3 4
This journey emphasized unity among Christians and interreligious dialogue, drawing on historical and spiritual symbols to foster fraternity.2 3
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Ankara on November 27, greeted by Turkish officials with a cavalry escort, national anthems, and 21 cannon salutes at the Presidential Palace.4 5
On November 28, he joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders in İznik for an ecumenical prayer at the ancient Basilica of St. Neophytus site, celebrating the Nicene Creed's origins and calling for overcoming Christian divisions.1 4 5
In Istanbul, the Pope visited the Little Sisters of the Poor's nursing home, stressing that Christian charity stems from communal being rather than mere action.4 5
He met Turkey's small Catholic community—about 0.05% of the population—at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, urging them to embrace the Gospel's "logic of littleness" as a powerful witness.4 5
A joint ecumenical blessing with Patriarch Bartholomew from the Ecumenical Patriarchate's balcony on November 30 symbolized renewed ties between Rome and Constantinople.4 5
The four-day Turkey visit concluded on November 30 with Pope Leo's departure from Istanbul for Lebanon, after highlighting unity during Nicaea commemorations.1
Pope Leo XIV landed in Beirut on November 30, welcomed at Rafic Hariri International Airport by the Apostolic Nuncio and Lebanese protocol head, beginning the second leg of his journey until December 2.1
The arrival underscored Lebanon's role as a message of coexistence, amid its spiritual heritage shared by Christians and Muslims.3
On December 1, Pope Leo visited St. Charbel Makhlouf's tomb at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya—the first papal visit there—reflecting on the saint's lessons of prayer, silence, and poverty.2 4 5
A rainbow appeared over Beirut's port that morning, seen as a sign of hope before his later prayer at the explosion site.4 5
At the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, he met bishops, clergy, and pastoral workers, advocating coexistence, education, and migrant support as paths to peace; he also presented a Golden Rose to the Virgin Mary.2 4 5
In the afternoon, an ecumenical and interreligious meeting in Beirut highlighted the Church's commitment to dialogue rooted in divine love and human dignity.2
The day ended with a festive gathering of young people at the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerké, fostering hope among Lebanon's youth.2
A young girl received and proudly displayed a rosary from the Pope during the Harissa meeting.4 5
On December 2, Pope Leo prayed silently at the Beirut port explosion site, laying a wreath for the 236 victims and meeting affected families still seeking justice five years later.3 4 5
He greeted a child amid the ruins, emphasizing healing and truth.4 5
Following this, he celebrated Mass for an estimated 150,000 at Beirut's Waterfront, interacting warmly with attendees, including blessing a baby.4 5
At De La Croix Hospital in Jal el Dib, the Pope visited the Saint-Dominique wing for children with disabilities, offering blessings and compassion.4 5
Throughout the journey, Pope Leo called for Middle East unity, urging dialogue over arms and fraternity among perceived enemies.3
He invoked St. John Paul II's view of Lebanon as "more than a country; it is a message," encouraging collaborative hope for peace.3
In Turkey, he addressed the "scandal of divisions" at Nicaea, promoting ecumenical unity.1 4
In Lebanon, he expressed solidarity with conflict zones like the south and Beqaa, and explosion victims, carrying their pain for justice.3
The trip honored shared Marian devotion and St. Charbel's intercession for Lebanon.2 3 5
At Beirut's farewell ceremony on December 2, Pope Leo boarded his flight to Rome, waving goodbye and stating, "Leaving this land means carrying you in my heart."3 4 5
He entrusted Lebanon to St. Charbel and hoped the visit's spirit of peace would extend regionally.3 5
The journey reinforced the Pope's commitment to persecuted Christians, interfaith bonds, and healing in a volatile area, blending history, prayer, and pastoral care.2 4
Investigate the Catholic Church’s historic role in fostering Middle‑East ecumenical unity
The Catholic Church has played a pivotal role in fostering ecumenical unity in the Middle East throughout history, particularly through theological dialogues, papal initiatives, and collaborative responses to regional challenges like persecution and emigration. Rooted in the ecumenical vision of the Second Vatican Council, this role emphasizes shared faith, apostolic succession, and mutual recognition of sacraments among Eastern Churches. Efforts have focused on resolving ancient Christological and ecclesiological divides while addressing contemporary issues, such as the plight of Christian minorities, thereby building bridges between the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Assyrian traditions. This analysis draws on key Catholic documents highlighting these historical developments.
The modern phase of the Catholic Church's ecumenical engagement in the Middle East traces back to the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), which marked a profound shift toward unity with Eastern Churches. The Council's decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum provided a foundational rethinking of approaches to unity, recognizing the rich heritage of Eastern traditions and urging respectful dialogue. This was complemented by Unitatis Redintegratio, which described ecumenism as a conversion of the heart and affirmed the true sacraments of Eastern Churches through apostolic succession, priesthood, and Eucharist. In the Middle Eastern context, these documents laid the groundwork for relations with Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox communities, emphasizing pre-separation ties between Eastern Churches and the Roman See.
Vatican II's impact extended to practical ecumenism. For the first time, official observers from non-Catholic Churches, including Eastern ones, participated, fostering mutual understanding. This paved the way for bilateral dialogues that addressed historical schisms, such as those from the Council of Chalcedon (451), which had divided Oriental Orthodox from the broader Christian family. The Council's ecumenical spirit influenced subsequent papal actions, including Pope Paul VI's 1964 meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem—a symbolically charged location in the Middle East—leading to the mutual lifting of the 1054 anathemas between Rome and Constantinople. This event, occurring amid Middle Eastern Christian communities, signaled a new era of "sister Churches" terminology, promoting fraternal contacts across the region.
A cornerstone of the Church's role has been the establishment of unofficial and official dialogues tailored to Middle Eastern realities. The Pro Oriente Foundation, founded in 1964 under Cardinal Franz König, has been instrumental in this regard. Operating as an "unofficial" platform, it enabled frank theological exchanges between Roman Catholic and Eastern theologians on contentious issues like Christology and ecclesiology. Starting in 1971, Pro Oriente hosted five consultations in Vienna with Oriental Orthodox Churches—the first such dialogues since the schisms—producing the influential Vienna Christological Formula. This formula resolved key dogmatic barriers and served as a basis for common declarations between Oriental Orthodox hierarchs and Roman Popes.
In the Middle East specifically, Pro Oriente's work addressed emigration from homelands in the Middle East, Caucasus, and diaspora, integrating Catholic Eastern Churches into broader ecumenical endeavors. Regional symposia in Wadi Natrun (Egypt, 1991), Kerala (India, 1993, relevant due to Middle Eastern diaspora), Kaslik (Lebanon, 1994), and Kröffelbach (Germany, 1997, for diaspora communities) disseminated these results to bishops, priests, and laity, informing wider publics about progress. The foundation also initiated the "Syriac Dialogue" in 1993, involving nine Syriac-tradition Churches (pre-Ephesian, pre-Chalcedonian, and Catholic), with six consultations from 1994 to 2005 focusing on Christology and sacraments. By 2007, this evolved into "PO Studies in Syriac Tradition," shifting to shared concerns like minority status in interreligious Middle Eastern contexts and emigration. These efforts underscore the Church's strategic use of theological scholarship to heal divisions in a region where Syriac Christianity originated.
Particularly notable is the rapprochement between the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, both rooted in ancient Mesopotamian Christianity. The 1994 Common Christological Declaration between Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV resolved the primary dogmatic obstacle. This propelled further unity initiatives: in 1996, Patriarchs Mar Raphaël Bidawid and Mar Dinkha IV issued a Joint Patriarchal Statement in Michigan, calling for synodal plans toward reunification. Approved in a 1997 joint synod in Chicago with Chaldean and Assyrian bishops, this process received support from the Congregation for Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The 2001 Guidelines for Admission to the Eucharist between these Churches exemplify practical ecumenism, allowing intercommunion in cases of necessity, reflecting deepening koinonia.
Broader dialogues with Eastern Orthodox Churches also intersected with Middle Eastern dynamics. Post-Vatican II, the Catholic Church entered universal theological dialogues through twelve mixed commissions, covering Eastern and Western ecclesial communities. These addressed themes like primacy and synodality, with fruits including convergences that foster hope amid remaining challenges. In the Middle East, such dialogues reinforced imperfect but real communion among baptized Christians, as emphasized at Vatican II.
Popes have personally advanced ecumenism in the Middle East through visits and speeches that highlight shared suffering as a catalyst for unity. During his 2001 Jubilee Pilgrimage to Syria, Pope John Paul II addressed an ecumenical meeting in Damascus' Greek-Orthodox Cathedral, praising Syrian hospitality toward persecuted Armenian, Chaldean, and Assyrian Christians who fled violence in the early 20th century. He noted how such refuge transcended divisions, recognizing the persecuted Christ and pledging ecumenical rapprochement. John Paul II urged bishops to guide family-level ecumenical contacts, cooperation in social life, peace promotion, and youth education as signs of existing communion (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 75). He invoked "sister Churches" united by apostolic succession, priesthood, and Eucharist, referencing pre-division Ecumenical Councils and calling for full communion.
This papal witness aligns with the Church's broader ecumenical prayer in Ut Unum Sint (1995), where John Paul II described unity as central to Christ's mission, constituted by faith, sacraments, and hierarchical communion—a Trinitarian reality embracing all people. In the Middle East, where Christians face marginalization, such unity manifests God's agape amid adversity.
The 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325) in 2025 further illuminates the Church's historical role. As the first ecumenical council, Nicaea established synodality as a universal instrument of unity, gathering Eastern and Western bishops to proclaim faith norms for the Oikoumène. Pope Leo XIV's 2025 Apostolic Letter In Unitate Fidei links Nicaea's ecumenical value to Vatican II and Ut Unum Sint, positioning it as a manifesto for ongoing unity efforts. Nicaea's legacy, as an ecclesial event structuring the Church, underscores how councils have historically oriented Middle Eastern Christianity toward communion.
Despite progress, challenges persist. Historical anathemas and cultural mediations hinder full reunion, even after Christological convergences. Emigration and interreligious tensions in the Middle East complicate efforts, yet shared minority experiences foster cooperation, as seen in Pro Oriente's symposia on coexistence in pluralistic societies. The Church recognizes sacraments across traditions but navigates differences in baptismal validity, often via oikonomia in Orthodox practice. Recent sources, like the 2023 Synodality and Primacy document, prioritize pre-separation relations and Vatican II's framework, taking precedence over older divides.
Where sources do not fully detail post-2025 developments, they affirm the Church's consistent approach: nuanced, patient dialogue rooted in tradition.
In conclusion, the Catholic Church's historic role in Middle Eastern ecumenism—through Vatican II's vision, institutions like Pro Oriente, targeted dialogues like those with Assyrian and Chaldean Churches, and papal witness—has transformed divisions into pathways of unity. By addressing doctrinal barriers and communal challenges, these efforts embody Christ's prayer for oneness (Ut Unum Sint), offering hope for visible communion amid regional trials. This legacy continues to guide the Church toward the full realization of koinonia in the cradle of Christianity.