Pope Leo’s 1st visit to Türkiye marks faith, history, peace efforts

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Türkiye on Thursday for his first overseas journey after becoming head of the Catholic Church in May. The historic three-day visit aimed at strengthening interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation marks a significant moment in Türkiye-Vatican relations.

The two-staged trip, centered on the district of Iznik (ancient Nicaea) and Istanbul, emerges not only as a symbolic pilgrimage but also diplomatic move to deliver peace messages to the world from Türkiye.

Speaking to Daily Sabah, a professor at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Özcan Hıdır, described the pope’s visit as theo-political and stated: “The most important aim of the visit is not theological but rather theo-political. Accordingly, through his multifaceted diplomacy concerning both the Western and Islamic worlds, the pope wishes to deliver a message from Türkiye saying ‘We can cross the threshold of peace together,’ since Türkiye is one of the most crucial actors in resolving chaos-ridden areas such as the Gaza crisis, Syria and the Russia-Ukraine war.”

Welcomed by high-ranking Turkish officials, Pope Leo and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a meeting in Ankara on Thursday at the Presidential Complex. The two leaders discussed Türkiye-Vatican relations as well as current regional and global issues, particularly focusing on the genocide in Gaza and efforts to ensure stability in the Middle East.

“Izmit holds a ‘privileged’ position for Vatican-papal visits. The three-day visit to Türkiye, which is rarely seen in diplomacy, is on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, regarded as a “unifying platform” where the theological backbone of Christianity was shaped,” Hıdır said.

The 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea is considered a milestone in the Church’s history. Convened in A.D. 325 by Emperor Constantine, the council gathered leaders from across the Roman Empire and produced the Nicene Creed, which is a declaration of the faith in one God in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The creed still remains a foundation of Christian doctrine today.

Moreover, Bekir Zakir Çoban, a professor from Izmir Ege University, pointed out the significance of Pope Leo’s Türkiye trip and the diplomatic ties between Türkiye-Vatican. “He is the head of a significant community in the world and carries certain titles, such as being the representative of Jesus, the successor of Peter. This is a religious title. But at the same time, he is welcomed with official protocol, because he is also a head of state with whom Türkiye has had diplomatic relations since 1960,” he noted and added, “The fact that the current pope, Leo XIV, is making his first visit to Türkiye is also meaningful. This increases the importance of the messages he will give here, both religiously and politically, especially underlining Türkiye’s position in the region. From a religious perspective, these are the lands where Christianity was born, shaped and formed.”

After meeting the pope, President Erdoğan said they discussed bilateral relations as well as “current issues that concern the collective conscience of humanity,” including forced migration, poverty, injustice, climate change and ongoing conflicts around the world. He called the visit “a very important step” that reinforces common ground between the two sides and expressed hope that their meeting would bring “benefit to all humanity.”

Esma Çakır, a senior journalist based in Rome, also noted that, “The developments in the Middle East and Ukraine – which directly concern Christians – are among the pope’s priorities. Türkiye, with its geographical and historical significance, offers him a remarkable opportunity to deliver a message of peace.”

Emphasizing Türkiye’s key role in regional tensions and global crisis, she described Türkiye and the Vatican as “responsible humanitarian actors” on the international stage, asserting: “Türkiye and the Vatican both support a two-state solution in the Palestinian question. Pope Francis, who passed away in April, enabled the Vatican’s recognition of Palestine as a state in 2015. Pope Leo XIV uses a more cautious tone compared to his Argentine predecessor. He frequently expressed his deep sorrow over what has been happening in Gaza and called for immediate humanitarian aid for civilians, as well as a cease-fire and peace.”

“Türkiye’s role as an important actor within the Islamic world and the Vatican’s choice of Türkiye for this visit signals not conflict or division based on faith, but a pursuit of mutual understanding and dialogue,” she also noted.

Referring to his upcoming engagements in Türkiye and Lebanon, Pope Leo reiterated his intention to stress the importance of peace for everyone in the world. He also called on all people to unite in pursuing peace, noting that despite differences in religion and beliefs, humanity is fundamentally connected, and he hopes to contribute to efforts promoting peace and global unity.

In this respect, Hıdır stated that Türkiye’s growing impact in the region and “the fact that the Patriarch of Jerusalem delivered to President Erdoğan the ’emanname’ (letter of protection) that Caliph Omar gave to Christians in Jerusalem during the conquest is meaningful. This will bring about a diplomatic shift in the world from geo-politics to theo-politics, or what can be called religious-cultural diplomacy, revealing the growing importance of theo-politics.”

On the other hand, the trip also signifies the interaction between the churches as Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church, where he will meet with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew.

Regarding the Catholic and Orthodox Church’s meeting, comments such as “the churches are uniting” would not be accurate, Çoban noted, stressing that: “This is a courtesy meeting. It is also important for the peace message to be given together. With reference to the Council of Nicaea, the pope previously described it as one of the most fundamental elements that united Christians. Indeed, it is. It can almost be said that the Council of Nicaea is the only point where all Christians united. However, as I mentioned, the issue of the churches uniting is not possible because these churches are completely different in cultural, religious and ritual aspects.”

“Despite lacking military or economic power, the Vatican positions itself as a strong soft power actor in international relations through its moral authority, historical legacy and religious influence,” Çakır indicated.

Commenting on the religious leaders’ meeting, Hıdır remarked the emphasis on “meeting on common grounds,” that is, theologically, the Council of Nicaea’s decisions, adding, “Another message or topic that may emerge is the determination of common dates for certain distinct religious or liturgical practices such as setting a common Easter date, and the reopening of the Halki Seminary on Heybeliada will also be on the agenda.”

The pope is the fifth pontiff to visit Türkiye, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014. On Sunday, Leo will head to religiously diverse Lebanon, a nation that has been crushed by a devastating economic and political crisis since 2019 and which has been the target of repeated bombings by Israel in recent days, despite a cease-fire.