Daijiworld Media Network - Turkey

Turkey, Nov 28: In a historic first foreign tour, Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey on Thursday, beginning a deeply symbolic journey aimed at promoting peace, strengthening interfaith ties, and commemorating a milestone in Christian history. The visit comes at a crucial moment as international efforts continue to de-escalate the war in Ukraine and ease tensions across the Middle East.

Pope Leo met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, where he praised Turkey’s unique position as a bridge between East and West. The pontiff highlighted the nation's longstanding role in fostering dialogue between cultures and faiths. From Ankara, he travelled to Istanbul for a three-day series of ecumenical and interfaith meetings with global Christian and Muslim leaders.

The primary purpose of the Pope’s journey is the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — Christianity’s first ecumenical council held in A.D. 325. It was at this historic gathering that early church leaders formulated the Nicene Creed, a foundational declaration of faith still recited by millions of Christians worldwide every Sunday.

Following his engagements in Turkey, Pope Leo XIV will continue to Lebanon, a nation the Vatican views as a vital bastion of religious coexistence in the Middle East. Despite decades of turmoil, Lebanon remains one of the few countries in the region where multiple faith communities have lived side by side for centuries. With Christian populations declining across the Middle East, the Vatican sees Lebanon’s pluralistic tradition as essential for preserving the region’s ancient Christian heritage.

The Pope’s visit is expected to reinforce messages of peace, unity and resilience at a time when the world grapples with complex geopolitical conflicts and humanitarian challenges.