Pope Leo XIV arrives in Turkey

Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Turkey. The papal aircraft landed in Ankara.

The Pope will first visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He will then be received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Palace in Ankara.

During his visit to Istanbul, a number of meetings are planned. There, the Pope will meet with Bartholomew I of Constantinople and sign a joint declaration.

The first American pope in history is expected to address interfaith and ecumenical relations, the difficult situation of Christians in the Middle East, and broader regional tensions.

The main reason for this year’s trip to Turkey is the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council.

Another significant moment in Turkey will be Pope Leo XIV’s Nov. 30 prayer service at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Istanbul.