Preparations for the Pope in Iznik: Delegation arrives from the Vatican
Ahead of the visit by Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of Catholics and Head of State of the Vatican, a 38-member delegation consisting of priests and nuns has arrived in the Iznik district of Bursa from the Vatican.
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Pope Leo XIV will make his first trip abroad to Turkey after beginning his papacy. The Pope will visit Turkey between November 27 and 30.
The Pope's visit to Turkey will include a series of events with Patriarch Bartholomew.
The two will come to Iznik on November 28 to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council, an important meeting in early Christian history.
DELEGATION ARRIVES AHEAD OF THE VISIT
The 38-member delegation of priests and nuns included Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of Pope Leo XIV; Dario Loi, Private Secretary to the Cardinal Vicar; Renato Tarantelli Baccari, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome; and Sister Antonia Romana Nazzaro, Director of the Pilgrimage Pastoral Office of the Vicariate of Rome. As part of the visit, the delegation first had lunch at a restaurant on the shore and then visited the Iznik Basilica and the Hagia Sophia Mosque. During the Vatican delegation's contacts in the district, evaluations were also made regarding Iznik's historical heritage, restoration works, and visit routes.