Pope Leo shares his 2026 journey plans – and he gained’t be coming again dwelling | EUROtoday

Pope Leo XIV, the primary American pope, is just not planning to go to the United States this 12 months, a spokesperson for the Vatican informed reporters.

Speculation about Leo taking a visit again dwelling has been circulating for weeks – particularly because the pontiff points statements denouncing President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.

Senior Vatican officers even reportedly thought of having the pope go to the U.S. across the United Nations General Assembly in September. But in the end, officers determined in opposition to it.

“No trip to the U.S. is expected in 2026,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated, in response to the Washington Post.

It’s unclear what the rationale behind the choice was, however the upcoming midterm elections might have influenced it. Typically, the pope doesn’t go to a rustic throughout an election 12 months to keep away from the looks of partisanship.

Leo can also be reportedly strategic about how the world views him as the primary pope from the U.S. and needs to make sure he doesn’t seem as if he prioritizes the states.

“He sees himself as someone who belongs to the world,” Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, informed the Washington Post. “I doubted he would come in his first year. He wants to make sure people understand he serves the whole world.”

During his first public look, following the historic conclave final 12 months, Leo spoke Spanish and Italian. His first go to outdoors of Vatican City was to Turkey and Lebanon in December.

There will likely be papal journey to Angola and Equatorial Guinea in Africa, in addition to to the Canary Islands in Spain and to Peru in South America, the place Leo served as a bishop.

The Independent has requested the Vatican for remark.

While Leo has no intentions of visiting the U.S. this 12 months, he’ll doubtless stay engaged with occasions occurring throughout the nation – significantly these associated to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations.

This previous 12 months, Leo has issued statements condemning the federal government’s therapy of immigrants, calling it “extremely disrespectful” and “inhuman.” He’s urged the administration to deal with individuals with dignity and enact “meaningful” immigration reform relatively than embark on a chaotic mass deportation operation.

Leo has additionally inspired the president to keep up U.S. allyship with Europe and discouraged the president from utilizing pressure in Venezuela.

While Leo is much less vocal on immigration than his predecessor, Pope Francis, he made his opinions clear on-line earlier than he was elected the present pope. Leo had reposted an opinion piece from the National Catholic Reporter, titled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”

Some MAGA allies criticized Leo for his social media presence on the time, particularly given Vance transformed to Catholicism in 2019.