Pope Leo XIV who was elected as successor to Pope Francis on the 8th of May this year 2025, after almost 8 months made his first pastoral trip to Türkiye and Lebanon, which had a big impact. The “logo” which he chose for his trip was a “bridge” – the bridge at the Bosphorus which is the symbol for a bridge between East and West.
It is noteworthy that Pope Leo XIV, born in the US- city of Chicago as Robert F. Prevost, entered the St Augustine order at an early age. He received an education that brought him in close contact with the writings of the most famous church teachers, the Bishop of Hippo, St Augustine, who during the 4th Century a.Ch. with his well-known books “Confessions” and the “City of God” had a profound influence on the theological thinking of the Catholic Church. After extensive studies at the private university in Villanova (Philadelphia) where he studied with Prof. John Caputo “German Existentialism and Phenomenology”, Prevost studied from 1978-82 theology at the “Catholic Theological Union” in Chicago. He was sent at the age of 27 from 1985-86 to Rome to do special studies about “Church Law” at the Papal University St Thomas of Aquinus. What makes this Pope extraordinary is that he not only was very close to the thinking of his predecessor Pope Francis, who nominated him in 2020 as member of the Congregation for the Bishops and then got him called to Rome 2023 as prefect of the Vatican Administration. Having spent half of his life as priest and monk in Peru, where he received his second citizenship as Peruvian, this makes him especially qualified as a personality, who with the devotion of an Augustinian monk and brilliant administrative insight, is engaged in trying to bring the idea of the “missionary” work of the universal catholic Church to a higher level.
One should note that in 1985-86 he traveled to Peru to do pastoral work in the St Augustine mission in Chulucanas (north of the Andes); from 1988- 1999, he was prior and responsible for education at the Augustine order in Trujillo (Peru) working at the church court and as professor at the seminary for priests in the archdiocese Trujillo. From 2002-2013 he became general superior of the St Augustine order in Rome. 2014-2015 he was nominated apostolic administrator in Chiclayo (Peru), followed in 2023 by his nomination as archbishop and prefect of the dicasterium for the bishops. He also became president of the “Papal Commission of Latin America.” Since 2023 he was member of the Vatican dicasterium for the evangelization, for the teachings of faith and for the oriental churches among others. In September 2023 he participated at the plenary session of the world synode. February 2025, he became Cardinal Bishop and on the 8th of May 2025 he was elected as 267th Bishop of Rome and Pontiff.
Spiritually rooted in Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum”
Shortly after his election 8 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV, when being asked why he chose the name Leo, said that primarily this had to do with his predecessor Leo XIII and his famous encyclical “Rerum Novarum “which puts the social question in the center, on the background of the first industrial revolution.” Today, as he emphasized, “the church offers this treasure of social teaching to all, so as to be able to react to further industrial revolutions and the developments concerning for example “Artificial Intelligence” or challenges in respect to the “defense of human dignity, justice and labor.” (See Biography by Stefan von Kempis: “Pope Leo XIV – who he is, how he thinks, what we can expect from him”, Patmos, 2025). In October this year the pope published his first Apostolic Exhortation “Dilexi te” – which was a completion of Pope Francis’ last work “Dilexit nos.” In paragraph 93 he wrote for example that Pope Francis’ “Dilexit nos” reminded us that the “social sin” consolidates the structure of sin within society and is frequently “part of a dominant mindset that considers normal or reasonable what is merely selfishness and indifference (…) It then becomes normal to ignore the poor and live as if they did not exist. It then likewise seems reasonable to organize the economy in such a way that sacrifices are demanded of the masses in order to serve the needs of the powerful” (sic).
“Today’s real challenges: peace, hunger and social justice”
Noteworthy for his trip in Türkiye (28th Nov- 2nd December) was an address which the Pontiff gave after his arrival during a meeting with authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps in Ankara. In it the pope underlined the reason for having chosen Türkiye as the first place of his first pastoral visit: “This land is inextricably linked to the origins of Christianity and today it beckons the children of Abraham and humanity to a fraternity that recognizes and appreciates differences.” He commented about the choice of his logo for this journey: “The image of the bridge over the Dardanelles Strait, chosen as a logo for my journey, eloquently expresses your country’s special role,” the Pontiff stated. “You have an important place in both the present and future of the Mediterranean, and of the whole world, above all by valuing your internal diversity. Even before linking Asia with Europe, East with West, this bridge connects Türkiye to itself. It combines different parts of the country, making it from within, as it were, a ‘crossroads of sensibilities’. In such a case, uniformity combines different parts of the country, making it from within as it were a ‘crossroads of sensibilities’.” He reminded the audience that Pope John XXIII who from 1935 till 1945 had been Administrator of the Latin Vicariate of Istanbul and Apostolic Delegate in Türkiye and Greece from 1935 to 1945, had passionately worked for a “dialogue of religions.” Pope Leo XIV strongly opposed the “globalization of indifference”. He stressed that “justice and mercy” challenge the mentality of the “might is right” and dare to ask that “compassion and solidarity” be considered as the authentic criteria for development. He also underlined the importance which the family has in Turkish culture: “Indeed attitudes essential for civil coexistence, plus the initial and fundamental sensitivity to the “common good”, mature precisely within the family (…) People do not obtain greater opportunities or happiness from an individualistic culture, nor by showing contempt for marriage or shunning openness for life.”
The pope used the occasion to remind the visits that the various popes Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014 made to Türkiye. “The Holy Sea does not only maintain good relations with the Republic of Türkiye, but also desires to cooperate in building a better world with the contribution of this country, which is a bridge between East and West, between Asia and Europe, and a crossroads of cultures and religions.” Pope Leo XIV emphasized that the particular occasion of his visit to Türkiye is “the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea- which speaks to us of encounter and dialogue, as does the fact that the first eight ecumenical councils were held in the land of present-day Türkiye.. ( ….) Today more than ever we need people who will promote dialogue and practice it with firm will and patient resolve. In the aftermath of the tragedies of two world wars, which saw the building of large international organizations, we are now experiencing a phase marked by heightened level of conflict on the global level, fueled by prevailing strategies of economic and military power. This is enabling what Pope Francis called a ‘third world war fought piecemeal’. We must in no way give in to this,” the Pope warned. “The future of humanity is at stake. The energies and resources absorbed by this destructive dynamic are being diverted from the real challenges that the human family should instead be facing together today: namely peace, the fight against hunger and poverty, health and education, and the protection of creation.”
The Meaning of the Nicaean Creed as a path to unity
In an address to bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons and pastoral workers in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit (Istanbul), the pope spoke about the great byzantine history, the “missionary impulse” of the Church and Constantinople and the spread of Christianity throughout the Levant. In Türkiye there would have been many communities of Eastern rite, Christians, Armenians, Syrians, Chaldeans as well as of the Latin rite. “The ecumenical Patriarchate remains a point of reference both for its Greek faithful and for those of other Orthodox Churches”, the Pope stated. He particularly emphasized the fact that “this land of yours” is linked to the “first eight ecumenical councils. This year celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the first council of Nicaea, a milestone in the history of the Church but also of humanity as a whole” (as Francis said November 28, 2024). This puts us in front of several challenges, the pope said. In terms of the Creed, “the Church of Nicaea rediscovered its unity. The Creed is not simply a doctrinal formula; it is an invitation to seek amid different sensibilities, spiritualities and cultures. The unity and essential core of the Christian faith centered on Christ and on the Church’s tradition.”
Another challenge is “the urgency of rediscovering in Christ the face of God the father. Nicaea affirms the divinity of Jesus and his equality with the Father. In Jesus we find the true face of God and his definitive word about humanity and history.” Yet there would also be another challenge present in today’s culture, the pope said, which is called “new Arianism.” “This occurs when Jesus is only admired on a merely human level, perhaps even with religious respect, yet not truly regarded as the living and true God among us. He would just be reduced to a historical figure in history, a wise teacher or prophet who fought for justice (…) Nicaea reminds us that Jesus Christ is not a figure of the past; he is the son of God present among us, guiding history toward the future promised by God.(….)The Nicaean Creed expressed the essence of the faith through the philosophical and cultural categories of its time. Only a few decades later, at the First Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.), we see that it was further deepened and expanded. Thanks to this doctrinal development there emerged a new formulation, the ‘Nicene- Constantinopolitan Creed’ that we profess together in our Sunday liturgies.”
Pastoral voyage to Beirut: “Let us chose peace as a way and not as a goal”
In his speech given at the presidential palace of Beirut, the Pope praised the country Lebanon for its immense beauty but also for its people, scattered in parts all over the world who are dedicated to “peace.” He invited the audience to reflect on what it means to be “peacemakers” in circumstances that are highly complex. And he told the authorities and representatives of civil society as well as the Diplomatic Corps that there is a special quality that distinguishes the Lebanese. “You are a people that do not give up, but in the face of trials, always know how to rise again with courage. Your resilience is an essential characteristic of authentic peacemakers, for the word of peace is indeed a continuous starting anew (…) You have greatly suffered from the consequences of an ‘economy that kills’ (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium 53), from global instability that has devastating repercussions also in the Levant, and from the radicalization of identities and conflicts. But you have always wanted and known how to start again (…) Lebanon can boast a vibrant, well-educated society, rich in young people, capable of expressing the dreams and hopes of an entire nation.” A second characteristic of “peacemakers”, he underlined, is that they start along the “arduous path of reconciliation” (…) On the other side there cannot be a lasting reconciliation without a common goal or without openness towards a future in which ‘good’ prevails over the evils that have been suffered or inflicted in the past or present. Reconciliation does not arise from the courage or the willingness of a few. It also needs authorities and institutions that recognize the ‘common good’ as superior to the particular. The ‘Common Good’ is more than the sum of many interests, for it draws together everyone’s goals as closely as possible, directing them in such a way that everyone will have more than if they were to move forward by themselves (…) Peace is knowing how to live together in communion, as reconciled people. A reconciliation that, in addition to enabling to live together, will teach us to work together for a shared future side by side. (…) Instead, mutual dialogue, even amid misunderstandings is the path that leads to reconciliation. The greatest truth is that we find ourselves together as part of a plan that God has prepared so that we may become a family.”
To young people: “You have the enthusiasm to change the course of history!”
The Pontiff also addressed the importance that especially young people should not just leave their homeland, but stay in the homeland and “develop a civilization of love and peace.” He deepened this subject during a meeting with young people at the square in front of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Antioch (December 1.) where he heard the testimonies of young girls who spoke about “hope” in the face of “disappointment,” and about inner peace during times of war. He called upon the young that they perhaps regret “inheriting a world torn apart by wars and disfigured by social injustice. You have the enthusiasm to change the course of history! The true opposition to evil is not evil, but love- a love capable of healing one’s own wounds while also caring for the wounds of the others (…) Your homeland Lebanon will flourish once again, beautiful and vigorous like a cedar, a symbol of the people’s unity and fruitfulness…. The strength of the cedar lies in its root”. The true foundation for peace according to the Pope is “Forgiveness (that) leads to justice, which is the foundation of peace.” Openness to welcome others to build a “we” that puts “you” before the “I”. According to the pope, this is a “reflection of God’s presence in the world”, where “love “and charity speak a universal language. And “enthusiasm means having God in your soul.”
During an ecumenical and interreligious meeting at the Martyrs’ Square (Beirut, December 1.) the pope stressed that the Middle East needs new approaches, in order to reject the mindset of revenge and violence, to overcome political, social and religious divisions, and to open new chapters in the name of reconciliation and peace: “The path of mutual hostility and destruction in the horror of war has traveled too long, with the deplorable results that are before everyone’s eyes. We need to educate our hearts for peace.” In his farewell at Beirut international Airport December 2nd, he again expressed his gratitude, for having received a sense of hope. “You are as strong as the cedars that populate your beautiful mountains, and as fruitful as the olive trees that grow in the plains, in the south and near the sea. (…) I express my aspiration for peace, along with a heartfelt appeal: may the attacks and hostilities cease.”
