Ankara [Turkey], November 27 (ANI): Pope Leo XIV began the first foreign trip of his papacy on Thursday, arriving in Muslim-majority Turkey for a visit aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation among Christian denominations, New York Times reported.
During his four-day stay, Pope Leo is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local Catholic clergy, and leaders of other Christian groups, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, head of the Eastern Orthodox Church. On Sunday, he is expected to travel to Lebanon, home to the Arab world’s largest Catholic community, to meet with church and government officials.
Speaking to reporters during his flight from Rome, Pope Leo said his trip to the region seeks to “proclaim how important peace is throughout the world” and encourage “greater unity” among people, “in spite of different religions, in spite of different beliefs.” He also extended Thanksgiving greetings to American journalists onboard, signing programs, blessing rosaries, and receiving homemade pumpkin pies from two reporters.
Vatican officials noted that Pope Leo’s choice to begin his first trip abroad in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country with a small Catholic population, reflects a nod to Christian history and signals his modern-day message of openness. On Friday, he will visit the site of ancient Nicaea, now called Iznik, to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Christian council that established the Nicene Creed, a foundational document followed by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians alike.
The visit also marks a significant moment for President Erdogan, who is the first head of state to receive the new pope. Their meeting in Ankara is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, following Pope Leo’s visit to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey.
“As a good Muslim, I am very happy,” said Emre Oktem, a professor of international law at Galatasaray University in Istanbul. “As a Catholic pope, he comes and pays his first visit to a Muslim country—it is a sign of openness and interest in cooperation,” New York Times reported. (ANI)
About The Author
