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Pope Leo plans symbolic debut foreign trips to Turkiye and Lebanon

Pope Leo plans symbolic debut foreign trips to Turkiye and Lebanon

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Pontiff expected to appeal for peace in Middle East and address the region’s Muslims and Christians.

Published On 7 Oct 2025

Pope Leo XIV has chosen Turkiye and Lebanon as the destinations for his first trip abroad as pontiff.

The Vatican said on Tuesday that Leo, the first pope who hails from the United States, will travel to Turkiye from November 27-30, followed by Lebanon from November 30-December 2.

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The choice of the two Muslim-majority destinations is viewed as symbolic and rich in meaning for both Christians and Muslims. Both countries are home to ancient Christian communities, and the late Pope Francis had hoped to visit them before his death.

Leo’s visit to Turkiye will come during the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council, held in what is now the Turkish city of Iznik.

He is expected to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians, for celebrations marking the council, which established key tenets of the Christian faith.

Reverend John Chryssavgis, an adviser to Bartholomew, called the visit “profoundly symbolical”.

“Pope Leo is doubtless seeking to express and affirm his identity as a Christian in a world of many different creeds, where all people, regardless of religion and race, are called to live together in mutual understanding,” Chryssavgis told the Reuters news agency.

A view of Iznik town centre, where Pope Leo is expected to visit for celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, in Iznik, Turkiye, October 6 [Murad Sezer/Reuters]

In Lebanon, Leo plans to commemorate the 2020 Beirut port explosion that killed 200 people. The country of six million people has the largest ratio of Christians in the Middle East and is the only Arab nation with a Christian head of state, President Joseph Aoun.

The visit will offer Leo – elected to head The Holy See on May 8 – a platform to appeal for peace in the Middle East and address the plight of the region’s Christians.

Like his predecessor, Leo has repeatedly called for peace and dialogue in the region, including calling for a ceasefire in Gaza to end the “terror, destruction and death”.

On Sunday, he spoke optimistically about ongoing negotiations to end the war in Gaza, saying “significant steps” had been made and urging “all those in positions of responsibility to commit themselves to this path.”

Travelling abroad has become a major part of the modern papacy, with popes seeking to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy.

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said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran">Live Updates: Iran war continues with U.S. blockade of ports; Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.The U.S. military said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts. #Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran

its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran">Live Updates: Iran war continues with U.S. blockade of ports; Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks

Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.

The U.S. military said its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”

One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.

Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.

The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.

The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.

CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.

#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran

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Police in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.

Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.

The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.

The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.

Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat">Bahamas police release Michigan man questioned after wife disappeared from their boatPolice in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat

Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.

Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.

The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.

The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.

Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat">Bahamas police release Michigan man questioned after wife disappeared from their boat

Police in the Bahamas have released without charges a Michigan man who said his wife disappeared after falling overboard from a small boat in waters off the Caribbean island country, authorities said Monday.

Brian Hooker, of Onsted in southern Michigan, had been in police custody since 8 April – five days – after being questioned by authorities.

Law enforcement freed him after consulting prosecutors who recommended against filing charges at this time, with investigations under way.

Brian Hooker told police that Lynette Hooker, 55, fell overboard the night of 4 April as they were traveling in an 8ft (2.4-meter) motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay, a group of small islands on the eastern end of the Bahamas. He said Lynette had the boat’s keys, causing the vessel’s engine to shut off and forcing him to paddle ashore.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement.

After reaching shore, Brian Hooker alerted someone about his wife’s disappearance early the following day, according to authorities.

Hooker has denied any wrongdoing, according to his attorney, Terrel Butler. She did not immediately respond to an email Monday from the Associated Press requesting comment on Brian Hooker’s release.

The US Coast Guard has opened an investigation separate from the one being conducted by authorities in the Bahamas.

The couple has been married for more than 20 years and chronicled their adventures sailing around the Caribbean on their Sailing Hookers Facebook page. They posted videos in 2023 of buying a sailboat they named Soul Mate in the coastal town of Rockport, Texas, and then embarking on a cruise through the Gulf of Mexico from the port town of Kemah, Texas.

The couple’s home in Onsted is about 70 miles (120km) south-west of Detroit.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would “just fall” off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. She noted the couple had been sailing for years on their voyages.

The couple has had a history of contention, with Brian and Lynette Hooker accusing each other in 2015 of assault, according to a Kentwood, Michigan, police report obtained by NBC.

Brian Hooker, who was intoxicated and bleeding from the nose, told police his wife had struck him multiple times in the face, the report said. He told officers Lynette also was drunk. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. A warrant was denied because it wasn’t clear “who started the assault”.

#Bahamas #police #release #Michigan #man #questioned #wife #disappeared #boat

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