Pope Leo XIV Meets Erdogan, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Turkey Visit For Peace Initiative

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey on Thursday, November 27, 2025, marking the first foreign trip of his papacy just six months after his historic election as the 267th pontiff and the first American-born pope. Welcomed at Esenboğa Airport by a military guard of honor and Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the pontiff strolled along a turquoise carpet, shaking hands with officials and senior Turkish church figures. The visit, originally planned by his predecessor Pope Francis, fulfills a commitment to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea while delivering a message of global peace amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Speaking to reporters aboard his papal flight, Leo XIV emphasized the journey's significance for Christian unity and interfaith harmony, expressing hope that it would inspire worldwide efforts toward brotherhood despite religious and cultural differences.

Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955 to a mixed-race family, Leo XIV chose his papal name to honor Leo XIII's legacy on social justice, adapting it to address modern challenges like artificial intelligence and economic inequality. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he brings a unique background as a former bishop in Peru and prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, blending American pragmatism with Latin American solidarity. His arrival in predominantly Sunni Muslim Turkey—a nation of over 85 million—highlights the Vatican's outreach to Muslim-majority countries, especially as Ankara positions itself as a mediator in Russia-Ukraine talks and offers stabilization support in Gaza. Later in the day, Leo is scheduled to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and address the diplomatic corps, applauding Turkey's NATO role as the alliance's second-largest army while navigating sensitivities around Erdoğan's domestic crackdowns on opposition.

The core of the four-day Turkish leg centers on ecumenical milestones, including a prayer service with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Iznik (ancient Nicaea), site of the A.D. 325 council that shaped the Nicene Creed and bridged Eastern and Western Christianity until the 1054 Great Schism. Leo XIV, who recently issued the apostolic letter In Unitate Fidei urging Christians to transcend outdated theological disputes, will sign a joint declaration there symbolizing renewed unity. In Istanbul, he will visit the iconic Blue Mosque for an interfaith dialogue hosted by Imam Asgın Tunca, who views the event as a chance to showcase Islam's hospitality and counter prejudices. This builds on Erdoğan's reforms since 2002, such as returning confiscated church properties, though challenges persist: Turkey's 33,000 Catholics lack formal legal recognition, per U.S. State Department reports, complicating church registrations.

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Public reception in Turkey has been muted, overshadowed by a cost-of-living crisis fueled by political turbulence, though the small Christian community—about 0.2% of the population—welcomes the pontiff warmly. Street interviews reveal skepticism: Shop owner Metin Erdem speculated the visit advances U.S. interests, while resident Sukran Celebi hoped for peace pleas but doubted their impact. Some locals link it to calls for reopening the Halki Greek Orthodox seminary, a flashpoint for religious freedoms. Leo's prudence contrasts with Francis's 2015 "genocide" remark on the Armenian slaughter, which strained ties; a Sunday visit to Istanbul's Armenian Apostolic Cathedral will test this balance, especially amid Vatican-Armenia tensions over Azerbaijan overtures.

As the trip extends to Lebanon amid fragile ceasefires and recent Israeli strikes on Beirut, Leo XIV's itinerary underscores his pontificate's focus on dialogue in fractured times. By reinforcing Catholic-Orthodox bonds and Muslim-Christian ties, the visit not only honors Nicaea's legacy but also positions the Holy See as a moral force in geopolitics. For Turkey, hosting history's first U.S. pope could bolster its image as a bridge between East and West, even as domestic priorities temper enthusiasm. The journey, blending solemn rituals with pragmatic diplomacy, signals Leo XIV's intent to foster "greater harmony" globally, echoing his inaugural address quoting Saint Augustine on restless hearts seeking divine rest.

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