Matteo Bruni

Good morning, good morning everyone! Hello, Your Holiness. You are greeted here by the journalists admitted to the papal flight. There are more than 80 on this occasion, from approximately fifteen different countries, for your first journey: many information professionals, also from the countries we will visit, so from Lebanon, Türkiye and the region. But before listening to your words, there is the journalist Valentina Alazraki who, in view of the number of journeys she has made, and her years of work, would perhaps like to say a few words to you.

Valentina Alazraki

Holy Father, good morning! I would like to welcome you on behalf of all of us. I had the great privilege of starting with John Paul II in my country, Mexico, in 1979, and also of welcoming your predecessor Pope Francis who, when he was in Argentina, did not like journalists at all. So, when he came to us, I said to him: “Perhaps you feel like you've entered the lions' den...”. In this case, you are Leone, the “lion”, so you have nothing to fear! Then, at Castel Gandolfo, you already broke the ice, answered our colleagues’ questions and got to know them. We would really like to be your travelling companions and to establish a human as well as a professional relationship, because getting to know each other, understanding each other, our difficulties and our needs, will enable us to be better bridges between you and the world and all the countries we represent. We are going to the East and we are giving you a Byzantine icon of the Virgin of Guadalupe, para que guie los pasos de un Papa americano, americano del Norte por nacimiento, de corazón América del Sur. Bienvenido y muchísimas gracias [so that she may guide the steps of an American Pope, American by birth, South American at heart. Welcome and thank you very much].

Pope Leo XIV

Buongiorno a tutti! To the Americans here: Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s a wonderful day to celebrate. And I want to begin by saying thank you to each and every one of you for the service that you offer to the Vatican, to the Holy See, to my person, but to the whole world.

It’s so important today that the message be transmitted in a way that really reveals the truth and the harmony that the world needs, and in a special way, this particular trip to Turkey and to Lebanon has, as you know, first of all, the very meaning of unity celebrating 1700 years from the Council of Nicaea.

And I very much have been looking forward to this trip because of what it means for all Christians. But it’s also a great message to the whole world and in a special way, with the presence of myself, of the Church, of believers in both Turkey and in Lebanon. We hope to also announce, transmit and proclaim how is important peace throughout the world. And to invite all people to come together to search for greater unity, greater harmony, and to look for the ways that all men and women can truly be brothers and sisters. In spite of differences, in spite of different religions, in spite of different beliefs, that we are all brothers and sisters, and to hopefully be a part of promoting peace, unity throughout the world.

So thank you all for being here. I‘ll be happy to greet you all, at least from here, maybe individually. Thank you for the service you'll be doing during these days. And thanks for being part of this historic moment.

Muchas gracias.

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 27 November 2025