Pope Leo XIV embarks on his first foreign trip this Thursday to Turkey, fulfilling late Pope Francis’ plans to mark a key Orthodox anniversary and bring peace amid crucial efforts for Ukraine and Mideast.
Arriving first in Ankara, he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and address the diplomatic corps.
He then moves to Istanbul for three days of ecumenical and interfaith meetings, ahead of the Lebanese leg of his trip.
The pontiff’s visit comes as Turkey, a nation of over 85 million predominantly Sunni Muslims, acts as a key intermediary in Ukraine and Gaza peace negotiations.
Ankara has hosted Russia-Ukraine talks and offered to join a Gaza stabilisation force to uphold the fragile ceasefire, efforts Pope Leo may applaud.
Turkey’s increasing military might, boasting NATO’s second-largest army after the US, is drawing Western leaders closer to President Erdogan.
This engagement persists despite critics raising alarms over his government’s suppression of the country’s main opposition party.
While support for Palestinians and an end to the conflict in Ukraine is prevalent across Turkey, the nation’s citizens are primarily focused on a severe cost-of-living crisis.
This economic turmoil, largely stemming from domestic political instability, means international affairs remain a secondary concern for many Turks.
That could explain why Leo’s visit has largely escaped the attention of many in Turkey, at least outside the country’s small Christian community.
“I didn’t know he was coming. He is welcome,” said Sukran Celebi. “It would be good if he called for peace in the world, but I don’t think it will change anything.”
Some said they thought the visit by history’s first American pope was about advancing the interests of the United States, or perhaps to press for the reopening of a Greek Orthodox religious seminary that has become a focal point in the push for religious freedoms in Turkey.
“If the pope is visiting, that means America wants something from Turkey,” said Metin Erdem, a musical instruments shop owner in the touristic Galata district of Istanbul.
The main impetus for Leo to travel to Turkey is to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council.
