November 27, 2025
Web deak
Pope Leo XIV has begun his landmark first foreign tour to Turkey and soon Lebanon, carrying a message of global peace at a sensitive moment for the Ukraine conflict and rising tensions in the Middle East. His visit also commemorates the 1,700th anniversary of the historic Council of Nicaea, where the original Nicene Creed was established in A.D 325.
During his meetings in Ankara, the pope met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and highlighted Turkey’s unique role as a bridge between East and West. Erdogan welcomed Leo’s plan to visit the Blue Mosque and praised the Vatican’s longstanding position on the Palestinian cause. The Turkish leader also warned against rising anti-Muslim discrimination driven by populist politics and social media.
Security has been tightened across Istanbul as Leo travels to churches, humanitarian centers, and the Vatican mission before heading to Iznik for anniversary events linked to the Council of Nicaea. A notable moment came when Mehmet Ali Agca the man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 arrived in Iznik seeking a meeting, though Turkish officials say no such meeting is planned.
Pope Leo emphasized Turkey’s heritage as a crossroads of religions and cultures, calling it a potential source of stability in the region. He also noted that Turkey’s small Christian minority sees itself as an integral part of the nation’s identity and hopes to contribute to unity and dialogue.
