Vatican City, Nov 26, 2025 / 15:35 pm

By Elias Turk

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Pope Leo XIV will leave Rome Thursday morning on his first international apostolic journey. The wide-ranging trip — spanning historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure — is expected to highlight the pope’s priorities of unity, peace, and encouragement across a region marked by both ancient faith and present suffering.

The papal plane is scheduled to take off at 7:40 a.m. from Fiumicino Airport, bound for Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Upon arrival, the pope will visit the Atatürk Mausoleum, built in honor of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder and first president of the Turkish Republic. He will then travel to the Presidential Palace

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