Going one by one and taking a long moment with each, Pope Leo XIV greeted a handful of individual journalists at the end of an audience he granted some 6,000 media professionals this May 12, 2025. In these short conversations, Pope Leo XIV revealed that he is preparing a trip to Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
However, he ruled out the idea of a forthcoming trip to the United State or to Fatima, Portugal.
After delivering his speech, Leo XIV approached the journalists of the first few rows, who were naturally quick to ask him a few questions.
An Italian journalist reminded him that this year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and Francis' planned trip along with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to the site of the Council, which is modern-day Iznik, Turkey. The Pontiff replied, “I know, we are preparing for it.”
This trip, with its strong Christian unity dimension, was one of the projects planned before the death of Pope Francis and would likely have happened at the end of this month, though dates were never officially given by the Vatican.
The theme of unity seems to be one very close to Pope Leo's heart, judging from his motto.
The Council of Nicaea, which established the “Nicene Creed” — the Christian profession of faith — began around May 24 in the year 325.
Not the USA, nor Portugal
Pope Leo XIV was also questioned by Lester Holt, from the American channel NBC News, who asked him if he intended to “return home soon.”
The Pope replied, “I don't think so.”
A Portuguese Vatican correspondent reminded the new Pope that the Church celebrates the Virgin of Fatima tomorrow, May 13. She asked him if he planned to go there.
“Cardinal Prevost had planned to go, but the plans have changed,” he quipped.
Conversations about sports and the gift of a relic
Having learned of his interest in tennis, a member of the Pontifical Mission Societies communications team offered to arrange a match between the Pope and André Agassi, the famous American champion.
The Pope replied humorously, “Yes, but we're not bringing Sinner,” playing on the name of Italian player Jannik Sinner, ranked number one in the world, and the English word “sinner.”
When other journalists suggested he play doubles, he confessed that he does play, but “not very well.”
Jason Perash, an autograph-collector from Colorado, got him to sign a baseball. The question of his allegiances between his two hometown teams has been a hot topic on the US news scene since his election. (His brother assures he roots for the White Sox, not the Cubs.)
On a completely different note, Italian journalist Stefania Falasca presented the Pope with a relic of Blessed John Paul I.
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