Illinois Governor JB Pritzker meets with Pope Leo XIV
Illinois’ Democratic Governor Jay Robert “JB” Pritzker met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, a fellow countryman from the Land of Lincoln, at the Vatican this week. (Credit: REUTERS – No use of Fox Weather/Outkick)
Pope Leo XIV uses his first-ever foreign trip to make a statement that combines symbolism with geopolitical consequences. By landing in Turkey this morning for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and then into Lebanon’s ongoing economic and political freefall, the Pope is entering directly into places where Christianity once flourished.
His presence conveys two messages at once: an attempt to revive unity between Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant communities, and a warning to regional governments that persecution and instability will not go unnoticed. It’s an early test of how he plans to wield the soft power of the papacy.
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Pope Leo (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Turkey: 1700 years since the Council of Nicaea
In Turkey he will commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The historic council met in 325 AD in the ancient city of Nicaea, now Iznik, and produced the Nicene Creed, a central statement of the Christian faith shared by Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants.
On Thursday, the pope will fly by helicopter to Iznik for a prayer at the archaeological remains of the basilica where the council met.
Petrusek emphasized the symbolic weight of this moment. “Christianity is a religion of faith – it is based on shared, free agreement to unchanging doctrines about Jesus Christ and the Church that give consistency and coherence to Christianity around the world. The Nicene Creed is the backbone of Christian identity.”
POPE LEO
Archaeologists have discovered a Roman-era hospital in the ancient Turkish city of Kaunos that later became a Christian shrine. (Durmus Genc/Anadolu via Getty Images)
To mark the anniversary, Leo published an apostolic letter on November 23 entitled “In the Unity of Faith,” which emphasized the Creed’s enduring role in uniting Christian communities. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said the document highlights the relevance of the Nicene teachings for contemporary Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants.
Petrusek said the pope’s approach makes a broader statement about unity. “The Creed contains the words: ‘I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.’ I believe that Pope Leo is also indicating that he wants to do everything in his power, in collaboration with the Holy Spirit, to heal the rifts that, unfortunately, still prevent the Church of Christ from being ‘one’.
In Turkey, the Pope will also meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, visit Christian communities in Istanbul and celebrate liturgies.
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Archbishop Sahak II Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, blesses a worshiper during Sunday Mass at the Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Church in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, November 23, 2025, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Turkey. (Khalil Hamra/AP Photo)
Lebanon: a rare papal stop in a country in crisis
The second half of the trip takes the pope to Lebanon, a country where the last papal visit took place more than ten years ago. The late Pope Francis had hoped to travel there but was unable to do so due to his declining health.
Lebanon still hosts the largest share of Christians in the Middle East, but its population has plummeted due to economic collapse, emigration and political paralysis. The Associated Press reported that the pope will meet with political leaders, Christian and Muslim clergy and families affected by overlapping crises. One of the most anticipated moments will occur on December 2, when Leo visits the Port of Beirut, the site of the 2020 explosion that killed more than 200 people and injured more than 6,000.
POPE LEO
Rubble and rubble remain around towering grain silos gutted during the massive August explosion at the Port of Beirut that killed more than 200 people, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, December 2, 2020. One of the most anticipated moments will occur on December 2, when Leo visits the Port of Beirut. Hussein Malla/AP
Petrusek said papal visits have a profound emotional impact. “It is difficult to overestimate the positive effect of the Pope visiting your country for Catholics, especially those who suffer for their faith. It reminds us that the ‘Church’ is not an abstraction, but rather a historical reality that goes back to Jesus Christ himself.”
He added that the pope’s presence carries a message for the governments in the region. “In addition to his message of hope to the faithful, his presence in these countries communicates to those responsible for the persecution of Christians: ‘Your crimes do not take place in the dark; the world is watching.'”
In Lebanon, the Pope will speak in both English and French. The Vatican has released the official missal for the liturgies, and Lebanese media are preparing for large crowds despite infrastructure shortages.
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Pope Leo (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo)
What to pay attention to
The Vatican is expected to emphasize Christian unity, interfaith dialogue and support for vulnerable communities. Pope Leo’s words in Turkey and Lebanon will be closely watched by regional governments and religious communities facing conflict, insecurity and demographic decline.
Petrusek said the trip reflects the core of Leo’s early papacy: “A papal visit brings tremendous hope and renewed patience to persevere… suffering and death, especially as a result of persecution, not only do not have the last word; when freely united to Christ on the cross, they lead to nothing less than eternal life.”
