Pope Leo XIV is set to embark on his first foreign trip on March 16, 2024, traveling to Turkey to commemorate a significant Orthodox anniversary and promote peace amid ongoing global conflicts. His journey follows the intentions of the late Pope Francis, aiming to strengthen interfaith dialogue and address pressing issues concerning Ukraine and the Middle East.
Upon arriving in Ankara, the pontiff will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and address the diplomatic corps. Following this, he will spend three days in Istanbul engaging in ecumenical and interfaith discussions, before concluding his visit in Lebanon. This trip marks a pivotal moment as Turkey continues to play a crucial role in mediating peace negotiations, particularly concerning Ukraine and Gaza. The nation has hosted dialogues between Russia and Ukraine and has proposed joining a stabilisation force in Gaza, efforts that Pope Leo may publicly support.
Turkey, home to over 85 million predominantly Sunni Muslims, is experiencing a significant cost-of-living crisis, which has overshadowed Pope Leo’s visit for many citizens. While support for Palestinians and a resolution to the Ukraine conflict resonates widely, domestic economic challenges have placed international matters on the back burner. A resident in Istanbul, Sukran Celebi, expressed a mixed sentiment: “I didn’t know he was coming. He is welcome. It would be good if he called for peace in the world, but I don’t think it will change anything.”
Some locals speculate that the visit of the first American pope may be driven by U.S. interests, including calls for the reopening of a Greek Orthodox seminary, a point of contention in Turkey’s religious freedom discourse. Metin Erdem, a shop owner in the Galata district, remarked, “If the pope is visiting, that means America wants something from Turkey.”
A key focus of Pope Leo’s trip is to observe the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. He plans to pray with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians, at the historical site in Iznik, Turkey, where the council convened in 325 AD. This event is not only a commemoration but also a symbol of the unity between Eastern and Western churches, which were divided during the Great Schism of 1054.
While the pontiff’s visit is strategically timed for this significant anniversary, it also presents an opportunity to reinforce the Catholic Church’s relations with the Muslim community. In Istanbul, he is expected to visit the Blue Mosque and preside over an interfaith meeting. Asgın Tunca, an imam at the Blue Mosque, emphasized the importance of the visit in fostering Christian-Muslim understanding, stating, “We want to reflect that image by showing the beauty of our religion through our hospitality — that is God’s command.”
Since 2002, Erdogan’s government has made strides in improving the rights of religious groups, including reopening places of worship and returning confiscated properties. Nonetheless, challenges persist. Christian groups encounter legal hurdles when registering churches, as highlighted in a recent U.S. State Department report on religious freedoms. The Catholic Church, which has approximately 33,000 members in Turkey, lacks formal legal recognition, leading to various complications. Rev. Paolo Pugliese, a superior of the Capuchin Catholic friars in Turkey, noted the significance of having the pope’s support, stating, “The Catholic Church enjoys a rather notable importance because we have an international profile … and we have the pope holding our backs.”
One of the more sensitive moments of Pope Leo’s visit will occur on Sunday when he visits the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Istanbul. This cathedral has welcomed all popes visiting Turkey since Paul VI, with the exception of Pope Francis, who met with the patriarch during a hospital visit in 2014. Francis had previously sparked controversy in 2015 by describing the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” a statement that led to diplomatic tensions between Turkey and the Vatican.
Pope Leo has generally adopted a more cautious approach in his public statements compared to his predecessor. His visit comes at a time when the Vatican is carefully managing its relationship with Armenia following criticism over its outreach to Azerbaijan. This context adds another layer of complexity to the pontiff’s interactions during his visit.
As Pope Leo XIV prepares for this historic journey, he carries the hopes of many for renewed dialogue and peace in a region marked by conflict and division.
