Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
In April of this year, the death of Pope Francis cast his followers into profound grief. He had planned a visit to Türkiye to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (Iznik), which also coincides with the Jubilee Year. Referring to Türkiye as a “crossroads of civilizations,” he had previously delivered significant religious and diplomatic messages during his 2014 visit to Ankara and Istanbul. In a testament revealed upon his passing, he expressed a final wish: that his successor should carry out this historic visit. On a global scale, the provision in the will of a leader with substantial social, religious and political weight bears profound significance.
Newly elected through the conclave held during the Jubilee Year, Pope Leo’s upcoming visit to Türkiye for the Council of Nicaea’s 1,700th anniversary carries significance far beyond its symbolic or religious dimensions. In the current multi-polar global order, this visit marks a critical diplomatic gesture. The fact that the supreme authority in the Catholic world is visiting Türkiye for such a monumental anniversary underscores the country’s universal significance in preserving its historical and religious heritage. Yet, the more profound political meaning lies in Türkiye’s increasing soft power and the geostrategic zones it is now influencing.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office, the Vatican and the White House have strengthened ties, with religious influence increasingly leveraged as a tool of geopolitical strategy. The fact that the new pope is American and echoes certain views aligned with Trump has led many to interpret this as a sign of growing U.S. influence within the Catholic Church. However, the pope’s decision to visit Türkiye also signals that the Vatican is not aligning itself with a single power bloc but is instead opening new channels of cooperation with regional powers like Türkiye. Pope Leo’s statements calling for an end to the suffering in Gaza further suggest that he will take a conscientious stance on Middle Eastern and global humanitarian issues.
Besides, Pope Leo has called on the faithful to dedicate Aug. 22 as a day of prayer and fasting for both Gaza and Ukraine. This initiative highlights his deep concern for politics and global peace, while also reflecting his effort to shape the Catholic world’s perspective around equality, mercy and justice. Through this act, Pope Leo is sending a clear message to the world that he prioritizes humanity above all else. His call also underlines his independence from political, religious, or liberal lobbying groups, as well as from specific political agendas connected to certain Greek Orthodox or Jewish communities. His attitude will have a positive impact on diplomacy between Türkiye and the Vatican.
From a religious, ethnic and national perspective, this visit also serves as a strategic counterbalance to the anti-Türkiye lobbying activities of the Greek Orthodox Church in the U.S. Earlier this year, the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in America publicly likened President Trump to a modern-day Constantine and symbolically presented him with a cross, urging him to “reclaim Constantinople,” a thinly veiled message promoting religiously motivated geopolitical ambitions against Türkiye.
In contrast, the Vatican’s strengthening ties with Türkiye, despite the new pope’s American nationality, demonstrate a conscious divergence from Orthodox-Greek political rhetoric. A key moment in this dynamic was the invitation extended to first lady Emine Erdoğan by Pope Leo to speak at a Vatican conference. Her presence underscored Türkiye’s soft power and its commitment to constructive dialogue. Despite challenges from Israeli, Greek and Greek Cypriot lobbies, Türkiye maintains sincere and strategic relationships with both the Vatican and the U.S.
Constantine and Christianity
Why are Emperor Constantine and Iznik back in global focus today? Constantine the Great remains one of the most pivotal figures in Roman history and a shared cultural symbol between Rome and modern-day Istanbul. A military genius and visionary statesman, Constantine unified the fragmented Roman Empire after a series of civil wars, bringing both Eastern and Western Rome under one rule by A.D. 324.
One of Constantine’s most enduring legacies was the founding of Constantinople (Istanbul) in A.D. 330 by renaming Byzantium in his own honor. This decision laid the foundation for modern-day Istanbul and established the city as a political, cultural and spiritual hub of the empire. For centuries, the city stood at the intersection of East and West, profoundly shaping both the Byzantine Empire and the history of Christianity.
Constantine’s Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 established legal tolerance for Christianity and ensured freedom of worship. However, Christianity did not yet become the official state religion; it merely achieved parity with other faiths. Constantine himself was never officially baptized during his lifetime, but approached it politically pragmatically. His mother, Helena, later canonized as Saint Helena, played a central role in early Christian history by retrieving Christian relics from Jerusalem and bringing them to Rome. It was under Emperor Theodosius I, with the Edict of Thessalonica in A.D. 380, that Christianity was officially declared the state religion of the Roman Empire.
First Ecumenical Council
In A.D. 325, Constantine convened the First Ecumenical Council, marking a pivotal moment in Christian history. Attended by approximately 300 bishops, the council established foundational doctrines such as the divinity of Jesus Christ and rejected the Arian heresy. The Nicene Creed that emerged remains a core statement of belief for Catholic, Orthodox and many Protestant churches today.
The council’s outcomes became reference points for theological debates in the centuries that followed, laying the groundwork for numerous Christian denominations. A subsequent council in A.D. 381, held in Istanbul, elevated the city’s bishop to second in rank after Rome. These developments positioned Iznik and Istanbul as critical centers in the Christian world – highlighting the enduring significance of what is now modern-day Türkiye.
The fact that the Council of Nicaea was held in Anatolia underscores Türkiye’s significance in the global religious heritage. Alongside early Christian centers such as Antioch (Antakya), Ephesus and Cappadocia, Nicaea confirms Türkiye’s pivotal role in the spiritual and cultural evolution of Christianity. This legacy holds not only religious value but also vast cultural and economic potential for Türkiye today.
New era in Türkiye-Vatican relations
The year 2025 marks a spiritually significant Jubilee Year for Catholics, a sacred pilgrimage year held once every 25 years, during which the Holy Doors of Rome’s major basilicas are ceremonially opened. The convergence of the new papacy and the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea makes this year uniquely symbolic.
Pope Leo’s planned visit to Türkiye in November 2025 is a signal not just of diplomatic goodwill but also of strengthened cultural ties. Türkiye’s multicultural and multifaith heritage offers a solid foundation for deeper collaboration with the Vatican. The pope’s visit occupies a particularly notable position in Mediterranean politics, especially amid the Greece-Türkiye polarization.
Türkiye is steadily emerging as a regional superpower through its growing military, diplomatic and economic capabilities. Its progress in the defense industry, its central role in energy corridors, and its proactive engagement in regional crises have enhanced its geostrategic weight. Türkiye’s presence in key conflict zones such as Syria, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus positions it as a decisive actor in shaping regional dynamics. Türkiye’s ascent is not solely driven by military or economic might. Its rich and layered cultural heritage, particularly its role as a crossroads of major civilizations and world religions, significantly boosts its soft power. Türkiye’s stewardship of this universal legacy, particularly from the heart of Anatolia, elevates it as a global center for culture and faith, strengthening its diplomatic influence worldwide.
From the legacy of Emperor Constantine to the Republic of Türkiye, this historical continuum has given rise to a rich political and cultural heritage. The process that began with Constantine’s Edict of Tolerance and the First Council of Nicaea culminated in Christianity’s adoption as Rome’s official religion – anchored in lands that are now within Türkiye’s borders. Today, those same lands continue to hold exceptional geopolitical, multicultural and spiritual relevance.
The convergence of the Jubilee Year, the new papacy and the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea further strengthens Türkiye’s global positioning, highlights the nation’s multidimensional power and reaffirms its unique role as a bridge between East and West, past and future.
