Pope has no plans to journey to U.S. in 2026, Vatican says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV is not going to journey to the United States this yr, the pinnacle of the Holy See Press Office mentioned Feb. 8.

Vatican observers had speculated about whether or not the primary American pope would return to the United States throughout his first full yr as pontiff, significantly as some news outlets reported that he may go to in September to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly in New York, a gathering attended by every of his three most up-to-date predecessors throughout their pontificates.

But, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, informed reporters that no U.S. journey is deliberate for 2026 when requested concerning the pope’s journey schedule.

Recent popes have all traveled to the United States at the least as soon as, making such visits an anticipated journey for contemporary papacies. 

St. John Paul II visited the United States steadily, touring to the nation seven instances throughout his hold forth and making stops throughout the nation. During these visits, he met with President Jimmy Carter on the White House and President Ronald Reagan in Alaska.

Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States as soon as, spending six days in April 2008, throughout which he met with President George W. Bush in Washington and addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Pope Francis additionally made a single six-day go to in 2015, turning into the primary pontiff to handle a joint session of Congress. He additionally traveled to Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia.

St. Paul VI was the primary pope to go to the United States in 1965. He made a historic deal with to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, met with President Lyndon B. Johnson and celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium.

Since his election in May 2025, Pope Leo has taken one worldwide journey to Turkey and Lebanon, a six-day journey beforehand deliberate earlier than his predecessor’s passing final yr. The November journey included conferences with civil and spiritual leaders, visits to holy websites, and prayer on the Port of Beirut, the place a 2020 explosion killed 218 individuals and injured greater than 7,000.

While the Vatican has not made any official bulletins, a lot of native sources have advised how Pope Leo’s 2026 calendar might already be taking  form with potential journeys to Africa, Spain and South America.

Last month, Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers informed reporters outdoors the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall Jan. 8 {that a} papal go to to Algeria was “on track” and would happen in “the first part of 2026.” Archbishop Kryspin Witold Dubiel, the apostolic nuncio to Angola, has additionally mentioned the pope accepted invites from each Church and authorities officers to go to the nation.

Spanish Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid informed reporters in January that Pope Leo can also be anticipated to go to Spain this yr, and can possible embrace stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

The president of Peru’s Catholic bishops, Bishop Carlos Garcia Camader, informed reporters in Lima Feb. 4 {that a} papal journey to Peru was “very probable” in November or the primary week of December, according to Reuters. The Vatican usually makes an official announcement of a papal journey at the least a month earlier than the anticipated departure.