Pope Leo XIV recalls his recent Apostolic Journey to Türkiye and Lebanon, saying his encounter with religious leaders teaches that peace is possible if we build it together.
By Devin Watkins
At the Sunday Angelus prayer following his visit to Türkiye and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV thanked the many people who made it possible and the faithful who accompanied him with their prayers.
In Türkiye, he prayed with his “beloved brother Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Representatives of other Christian confessions” at the site of the Council of Nicaea in 325, at modern-day Iznik.
“Precisely today we mark the 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration between Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, which put an end to the mutual excommunications,” he said. “Let us give thanks to God and renew our commitment to the journey toward the full visible unity of all Christians.”
Pope Leo expressed his joy for the opportunity to meet with the Catholic community of Türkiye, which he said bears witness to the Gospel of love in its patient dialogue and service to those who suffer.
Turning to Lebanon, the Pope said the country continues to be “a mosaic of coexistence,” saying he was encouraged to hear many people bear witness to that model.
“I met people who proclaim the Gospel by welcoming the displaced, visiting prisoners, and sharing bread with those in need,” he said. “I was heartened to see so many people in the streets greeting me, and I was deeply moved by the meeting with the relatives of the victims of the explosion at the port of Beirut.”
Even as he brought a word of consolation, said the Pope, he in turn receive much greater consolation from the Lebanese people’s faith and enthusiasm.
“What has taken place in recent days in Türkiye and Lebanon teaches us that peace is possible,” concluded Pope Leo XIV, “and that Christians, in dialogue with men and women of other faiths and cultures, can help to build it.”
