Pope Leo XIV will visit Lebanon from November 30 to December 2 as part of his first foreign trip as leader of the Catholic Church, the Vatican announced Tuesday.

The visit will immediately follow a stop in Turkey from November 27 to 30, where the pontiff will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a pivotal milestone in Church history.

The Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon welcomed the announcement, issuing a statement expressing gratitude and hope.

“We offer our heartfelt thanks and praise to the Lord for the great blessing bestowed upon our beloved country, Lebanon, in the announcement of the apostolic visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV,” the statement said.

Church leaders described the visit as a source of “great joy and renewed hope” and prayed that it would bring peace and stability to Lebanon. They called it “a symbol of unity for all Lebanese, both Christians and Muslims, at this critical moment in our nation’s history,” and asked for divine blessings to ensure the visit bears “abundant spiritual fruits for the Church in Lebanon and for the country as a whole.”

This will be the first papal visit to Lebanon since Pope Benedict XVI traveled to the country from September 14-16, 2012.