Pope Leo is set to visit Lebanon ”by December”, in what could be his first trip outside Italy, Cardinal Bechara Rai announced to the al-Arabiya television channel.
Rai, head of the 3.5-million-member Maronite Catholic Church, said preparations are “already underway,” though no exact date has been confirmed.
A Vatican source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the Lebanon trip might be included in a wider tour, with Turkey also in consideration to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the early Church council held in Nicaea (now called Iznik).
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May to succeed the late Pope Francis, who had planned but never managed to visit Lebanon due to health issues.
Lebanon is home to more than two million Catholics, making it a significant destination for the new pontiff.
Travelling abroad has long been a hallmark of the modern papacy, allowing popes to engage with local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy.
Pope Francis, for instance, made 47 foreign trips during his 12-year papacy.
Earlier this month, Pope Leo commemorated the fifth anniversary of the devastating Beirut port explosion, which killed 200 people and caused billions in damages, saying: “Beloved and suffering Lebanon remains at the centre of our prayers.”
