The pontiff is set to meet political leaders and say Mass at a Beirut port destroyed by an explosion five years ago. It is the first papal visit to Lebanon since 2012.
The pontiff met political leaders upon his arrival on Sunday and will later say Mass at a Beirut port destroyed by an explosion five years ago.
In Istanbul, Pope Leo XIV will meet the patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church to show amity between two of the world’s largest Christian groups.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Leo XIV on the opening leg of a trip that will also include Lebanon.
The pontiff begins a trip to Turkey and Lebanon on Thursday — the first foreign voyage of his papacy, and his biggest test yet.
The pope chose a region rife with religious divisions and conflict for his first trip abroad. He arrived in Lebanon on Sunday after a few days in Turkey.
The choice signals that Pope Leo XIV aims to press for peace in the Middle East and show support for Christians in the region.
The choice signals that Pope Leo XIV aims to press for peace in the Middle East and show support for Christians in the region.