Pope Leo XIV has indicated his intention to visit Sydney in spring 2028 to preside over the International Eucharistic Congress, with Archbishop Anthony Fisher relaying the Pope’s response: “It’s still a way off, but I’ll be there.” The event will feature a major Eucharistic procession and final Mass expected to draw hundreds of thousands.
Tag: Pope Leo XIV
President Donald Trump has officially invited Pope Leo XIV and the Holy See to join the “Board of Peace,” a Middle East alliance aimed at ending the Gaza conflict, coordinating reconstruction, and advancing a lasting Palestinian state aligned with UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin confirmed the invitation is under review, potentially adding significant spiritual influence to a group already including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, and others with major investment commitments. While Norway has declined, the Vatican’s possible participation could prove transformative for Trump’s peace initiative.
After two years of subdued festivities due to the war in Gaza, Christmas celebrations have returned to Bethlehem in 2025, bringing joy, parades, and a lit Christmas tree to the birthplace of Jesus amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing humanitarian challenges.
The year 2025 was marked by major political upheavals, fragile ceasefires, ongoing wars and dramatic…
The fragile ceasefire in Gaza has cautiously restored the spirit of Christmas in Bethlehem, as…
Phanar, 29 November 2025 On 29 November 2025 at the Phanar, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and…
Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia calls the joint declaration of Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV a historic moment of peace and a sign of Christian unity.
Pope Leo XIV made a reverent visit to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on November 29, 2025, continuing the tradition of papal outreach to Muslim places of worship, while notably omitting the nearby Hagia Sophia—reconverted into a mosque in 2020—amid ongoing sensitivities.
In a powerful display of unity, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV today signed…
Following Friday’s joint pilgrimage to Nicaea commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council,…
Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew led a historic Nicaea ceremony in Iznik, Turkey, on November 28, 2025, reciting the Nicene Creed and urging Christian unity at the site of the 325 AD Council of Nicaea. Held near the underwater ruins of the Basilica of St. Neophytos, the event saw diverse Christian leaders, though the Russian Orthodox Church was notably absent.
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew led a historic ecumenical prayer service in Iznik, Turkey, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — the birthplace of the Creed still professed by billions of Christians worldwide.
In November 2025, Pope Leo XIV visits Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD), the historic gathering that produced the original Nicene Creed. The pope will pray at the submerged ruins of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos in İznik, a site linked to the council, and honor the shared Christian heritage at locations tied to both the First and Seventh Ecumenical Councils.
As Pope Leo XIV arrives in Turkey for historic commemorations, optimism surges for the long-closed Halki Theological School’s revival—a beacon of Orthodox heritage amid calls for greater religious rights.
Pope Leo XIV will make his first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon next month, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea with Orthodox leaders while visiting key historical and crisis-stricken sites—excluding Hagia Sophia and southern Lebanon.
In a historic first in over 500 years, King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV prayed together in the Sistine Chapel, symbolizing unity between the Anglican and Catholic churches. The ecumenical service, part of the 2025 Jubilee, reflects Charles’s lifelong spiritual journey—from private retreats at Mount Athos with confidant Archimandrite Ephraim to fostering inter-Christian dialogue amid his Anglican duties.
Pope Leo XIV has announced plans to visit Turkey for the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a landmark event in Christian history. The trip, potentially his first abroad, follows discussions with Archbishop Elpidophoros and other representatives, though the Vatican has yet to confirm the visit.
Pope Leo XIV has expressed solidarity with Ukrainian Greek Catholics amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, assuring them that “life will triumph over death”.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I led a liturgy in Istanbul to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD. The council, convened by Emperor Constantine I, produced the Nicene Creed, a key Christian statement of faith still recited today. Bartholomew, the Orthodox Church’s spiritual leader, recently met Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew have agreed to meet in ancient Nicaea (modern-day Iznik, Türkiye) in 2025 to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. The decision follows their recent meeting at the Vatican and signals a continued commitment to Christian unity and global peace.
Pope Leo XIV met with Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv on 15 May at the Vatican, where the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church thanked the Pope for his support of Ukraine. The Archbishop presented the Pope with a symbolic painting, *Requiem Prayer*, highlighting the suffering of the Ukrainian people amid ongoing conflict.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew welcomed the election of Pope Leo XIV with “Christian hope,” expressing optimism for renewed dialogue and unity between the Eastern and Western Churches. Church leaders from across the Christian East echoed the call for peace, solidarity, and deeper collaboration under the new pontiff, the first American pope in history.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has extended his congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church, marking a significant moment in ecclesiastical history.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old from Chicago, has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. Visibly emotional on St. Peter’s balcony, the centrist with progressive leanings vowed to serve the marginalized, continuing Pope Francis’ legacy.
