Pope Leo XIV Visits Turkey for First Foreign Trip

Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic world, begins his first foreign trip as pontiff on November 27. Turkey has been chosen as the first stop, where the Pope plans to meet with the country's president, Erdoğan, and call for peace in the region. The head of the Catholic Church, following the example of his predecessor, Pope Francis, will strive for the unity of the long-divided Christian churches, while also marking one of the most important anniversaries for the Orthodox world.

The visit of the world's first American Pope begins in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where he is scheduled to arrive shortly after noon. Meetings with authorities, civil society representatives, and the diplomatic corps are planned here. The Pope will also pay his respects at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, which is considered a symbol of the secular republic.

Leo XIV's visit takes place against a backdrop of acute regional tension. Located in the vicinity of the conflict-ridden Middle East, the Pope will have to approach political issues delicately. He faces a difficult task: how to address sensitive human rights topics, the arrests of Erdoğan's opponents, or the status of Turkey's Christians, who continue to struggle against inequality and isolation. It is worth noting that in Turkey, a country with a population of 86 million, the majority of whom are Sunni Muslims, Christians make up only 0.1 percent.

Despite the rise of religious nationalism and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque in 2020, the Vatican seeks to maintain dialogue with Ankara, viewing it as a key player in regional peace efforts. The Holy See also appreciates Turkey's efforts in hosting more than 2.5 million refugees (mostly Syrian). On the topic of refugees and migrants, the Holy Father continues the line of his predecessor, criticizing the treatment of migrants by the US government of President Donald Trump and calling it "extremely disrespectful."

However, the main motivation for visiting Turkey is religious and historical. The visit is dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which was the first ecumenical council of Christianity. Pope Leo XIV will travel to Iznik (historical Nicaea) in the northwest of the country, where this historic gathering took place in 325. There he will pray with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, and sign a joint declaration as a visible sign of Christian unity.

The new pontiff is demonstrating new approaches to working with the media. More than 80 journalists are accompanying him on the papal plane to cover his first foreign steps.

Leo XIV becomes the fifth Pope to visit Turkey, after Paul VI (1967), John Paul II (1979), Benedict XVI (2006), and Francis (2014).

After Turkey, on Sunday, the Pope will travel to Lebanon. This country, distinguished by its religious diversity, has been crushed under the weight of a devastating economic and political crisis since 2019 and in recent days, despite a ceasefire, continues to be subjected to repeated bombings by Israel.