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Departing Turkey, Pope holds in-flight press conference, calls on Lebanese to be peacemakers

December 01, 2025

Pope Leo XIV departed from Turkey and arrived in Lebanon on November 30, the fourth day of the Pope’s six-day apostolic journey to the two nations.

Istanbul

Pope Leo XIV’s first public event yesterday was a prayer visit to the Armenian Apostolic cathedral (video). The Armenian Apostolic Church (CNEWA profile) is among the Oriental Orthodox churches that ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451.

“This visit provides me with the opportunity to thank God for the courageous Christian witness of the Armenian people throughout history, often amid tragic circumstances,” Pope Leo said in his address to Patriarch Sahak II Mashalian. “I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the Lord for the ever-closer fraternal bonds uniting the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Catholic Church.”

“We must also take inspiration from the experience of the early Church in order to restore full communion, a communion which does not imply absorption or domination, but rather an exchange of the gifts received by our Churches from the Holy Spirit for the glory of God the Father and the edification of the body of Christ (cf. Eph 4:12),” the Pope added, as he expressed hope that the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches “will be able to resume promptly its fruitful work.”

(The Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the Oriental Orthodox churches, suspended dialogue with the Catholic Church last year following the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s publication of Fiducia Supplicans, its declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings.)

Pope Leo then traveled to St. George’s Cathedral, the cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who holds a primacy of honor among the Orthodox churches that ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See as a result of the East-West schism (1054). The Pontiff was present at the two-hour Divine Liturgy for the feast of St. Andrew, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s patronal feast (video).

The previous day, the Pontiff had visited the cathedral, where he took part in a Doxology and signed a joint declaration with the Ecumenical Patriarch. Unfortunately, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication affixed the text of Pope Leo’s November 29 address to its coverage of the November 30 Divine Liturgy, giving the inaccurate impression that the Pontiff delivered the same speech twice. (Happily, the dicastery posted the Pope’s actual words elsewhere on the Vatican’s website.)

In his remarks at the conclusion of yesterday’s Divine Liturgy, Pope Leo said that “in continuity with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and my predecessors, I wish to confirm that, while respecting legitimate differences, the pursuit of full communion among all those baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, is one of the priorities of the Catholic Church. In particular, it is one of the priorities of my ministry as Bishop of Rome, whose specific role in the universal Church is to be at the service of all, building and safeguarding communion and unity.”

The Pope then discussed three challenges facing the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches today: “bloodstained conflict and violence in places both near and far,” “the threatening ecological crisis,” and “the use of new technologies, especially in the field of communications.” Following the liturgy, they imparted a blessing (video, 2:20:10)—the Pontiff first in Latin, then Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Greek.

After lunch with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Pope Leo departed from Turkey, following a brief farewell ceremony (video).

Press conference

During his flight from Istanbul to Beirut, the Pontiff held the first in-flight press conference of his pontificate. Asked to comment on Turkey’s role in promoting peace, he said, “Türkiye has a number of, if you will, qualities about it; it is a country with the vast majority being Muslims, and yet the presence of numerous Christian communities there, although a very small minority, and yet people of different religions are able to live in peace ... Türkiye itself has had, of course, in its history various moments when it was not always the case, and yet to have experienced that and to have been able to speak also with President Erdoğan about peace, I think, was an important element, a worthwhile element of my visit.”

Asked to discuss Turkey’s role as a mediator in the Holy Land and Ukraine, the Pope said:

The Holy See for several years has publicly supported the proposal of a two-state solution. We all know that in this moment Israel still does not accept this solution, but we see it as the only solution that could offer—let us say—a solution to the conflict that they continuously live. We are also friends of Israel, and we try with the two sides to be a mediating voice that can help draw closer to a solution with justice for all. I spoke about this with President Erdogan; he is certainly in agreement with this proposal. Türkiye has an important role that it could play in all of this.

Lebanon

Lebanon, a nation of 5.4 million (map), is 61% Muslim and 34% Christian (26% Catholic), and 2% Buddhist, according to the 2025 World Almanac. The Pontiff arrived in Beirut, the nation’s capital, in the afternoon and was welcomed in a ceremony (video).

The Pontiff traveled to Baabda Palace, where he paid a courtesy visit to President Joseph Aoun (video). The Pontiff also met with Nabih Berri, the speaker of the parliament (video), and with Nawaf Salam, the prime minister (video). Under the National Pact of 1943, the nation’s president is a Maronite Catholic; the speaker of parliament, a Shia Muslim; and the prime minister, a Sunni Muslim.

In a meeting with authorities and the diplomatic corps (video), President Aoun said, “With profound honor, and in the name of the Lebanese people in all their confessions and sects, I welcome you to our homeland, small in its size, yet great in its message; Lebanon which has always been—and remains—a land that unites faith and freedom, diversity and unity, and hardship and hope.”

“Today, we affirm to you, Your Holiness, that the survival of this Lebanon—whose people surround you now—is essential for the establishment of peace, hope, and reconciliation among all the sons of Abraham,” the president added.

Pope Leo devoted his address to peacemaking.

“I wish to address to you the words of Jesus that have been chosen as the central theme of my journey: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers!’ (Mt 5:9),” he said. “Certainly, there are millions of Lebanese, here and throughout the world, who serve peace silently, day after day. Yet you, who have important institutional tasks within this nation, are destined for a special beatitude if you can say that you have put the goal of peace above all else.”

The Pope reflected at length on three aspects of peacemaking: resilience, reconciliation, and perseverance. Commenting on perseverance, he said:

There are times when it is easier to flee, or simply more convenient to move elsewhere. It takes real courage and foresight to stay or return to one’s own country, and to consider even somewhat difficult situations worthy of love and dedication. We know that here, as in other parts of the world, uncertainty, violence, poverty and many other threats are leading to an exodus of young people and families seeking a future elsewhere, even though it is very painful to leave one’s homeland.

It is certainly necessary to recognize that much good can come to all of you from having Lebanese people spread throughout the world. However, we must not forget that remaining in our homeland and working day by day to develop a civilization of love and peace remains something very valuable.

Paying tribute to Lebanese music and dance, he concluded:

Those who dance move lightly, without trampling on the earth, harmonizing their steps with those of others. So it is with peace, which is a journey inspired by the Spirit, and causes our hearts to listen, making them more attentive and respectful towards others. May this desire for peace, which comes from God, grow among you; for even today, peace can transform the way you look at others and the way you live together in this land, a land that God deeply loves and continues to bless.

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Departing Turkey, Pope holds in-flight press conference, calls on Lebanese to be peacemakers

Monday of the First Week of Advent