Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected pontiff, has embarked on his first foreign journey with a powerful message: the world stands at a crossroads, and the future of humanity itself is at stake if global conflicts continue to escalate. Landing in Turkey on November 27, 2025, Pope Leo’s trip fulfills the late Pope Francis’s vision to mark a historic Christian anniversary and promote peace at a time when the world is gripped by wars in Ukraine, the Middle East, and beyond, according to BBC and The Irish News.
As his charter plane touched down at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, the American-born Pope was greeted with military honors, a turquoise carpet, and handshakes from Turkey’s tourism minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, senior officials, and church leaders. The occasion was not just ceremonial; it was deeply symbolic. Pope Leo’s arrival comes at a moment when Turkey, a nation of over 85 million—predominantly Sunni Muslim—has cast itself as a diplomatic bridge between East and West, and as a potential mediator in some of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
Speaking to reporters aboard his flight, the Pope acknowledged the gravity and the promise of his mission. “We hope to also announce, transmit and proclaim how important peace is throughout the world. And to invite all people to come together to search for greater unity, greater harmony, and to look for the ways that all men and women can truly be brothers and sisters in spite of differences, in spite of different religions, in spite of different beliefs,” he said, as reported by The Irish News.
After a horse-mounted escort brought him to the presidential palace, Pope Leo was welcomed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In a speech delivered in the palace’s national library, the Pope praised Turkey’s unique role as a crossroads of religions and cultures. “May Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in services of a just and lasting peace,” he declared, standing before a giant globe. He urged Turkey to promote dialogue and practice it “with firm will and patient resolve.”
Pope Leo did not shy away from the region’s pressing issues. He recalled that four previous popes had visited Turkey, underlining the Holy See’s longstanding desire to build a better world in partnership with the country. He also referenced the Council of Nicaea, a pivotal moment in Christian history that took place in what is now the Turkish town of Iznik. There, in 325 AD, more than 200 bishops affirmed the belief that Jesus was the son of God, leading to the Nicene Creed—a cornerstone of Christian doctrine. On this trip, Pope Leo and leaders from other Christian traditions will commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of that council, emphasizing messages of unity and healing between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity, which dramatically split centuries ago.
President Erdogan, for his part, seized the moment to address the Palestinian issue, calling it central to any lasting peace in the region. “At the heart of a lasting peace in our region lies the Palestinian issue,” Erdogan said, as reported by The Irish News. He praised the Vatican’s steadfast stance, especially regarding the suffering of civilians in Gaza, and reiterated his call for a two-state solution. Erdogan demanded immediate steps to strengthen the Gaza ceasefire, protect civilians, and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid. He also noted that a Catholic church had been among the places of worship struck by Israeli attacks.
Pope Leo’s itinerary in Turkey is packed with both ecumenical and interfaith significance. He is scheduled to spend three days in Istanbul, engaging in meetings with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and other religious leaders. Together, they will mark the Nicaean anniversary in Iznik, about 90 kilometers southeast of Istanbul, underlining a commitment to bridge centuries-old divides and foster dialogue across faiths. The Pope will also visit the iconic Blue Mosque, following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessors, Popes Francis and Benedict XVI, in a gesture of inter-religious understanding and respect.
In a notable act of respect for Turkey’s secular history, Pope Leo visited the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Local residents, like Nilgun Altinsoy, saw this as a meaningful gesture, noting that some leaders opposed to Ataturk’s reforms have avoided paying their respects. “I congratulate the pope for this reason,” Altinsoy told The Irish News. Another resident, Bayram Alibastanbel, connected Leo’s visit to Ataturk’s enduring message: “Peace at home, peace in the world.” He added, “We are already going through a difficult time globally, a period with wars. Since this is a time when the world needs peace, I think this is a meaningful visit.”
Turkey’s role as a would-be peace broker has grown in recent years. The country has hosted rounds of low-level talks between Russia and Ukraine and offered to participate in a stabilization force for Gaza. As NATO’s largest military after the United States, Turkey’s strategic importance has drawn Western leaders closer to Erdogan, even as some critics warn of democratic backsliding at home. Still, for many Turks, domestic economic woes—marked by a persistent cost-of-living crisis—have overshadowed international politics, and the Pope’s visit has received limited public attention outside the nation’s small Christian community.
After his engagements in Ankara, Pope Leo’s plane departed for Istanbul, where he will continue his mission of dialogue and unity. The Vatican confirmed that the Pope would speak English throughout his Turkish visit, a nod to his American roots and a first for a papal trip in the region, while French will be used during his subsequent stay in Lebanon.
The Lebanese leg of the journey, which the Vatican says will go ahead despite recent Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, carries its own weight. There, Pope Leo will meet more faith leaders and hear from young people, offering a particular boost to Lebanon’s Christian community, which makes up about a third of the population. On the final day, he will celebrate Mass at the Beirut waterfront, the site of the devastating 2020 port explosion, praying for the more than 200 people killed and the 7,000 injured in that tragedy.
Since his election in May 2025, Pope Leo XIV has been seen as cautious and measured, carefully balancing the progressive ideals of his predecessor with the concerns of traditionalists within the Catholic Church. Both wings have found reasons to support him, and his diplomatic skills are now being put to the test on the world stage. Unlike Pope Francis, who was often overtly political, Leo has so far walked a fine line, calling for an end to war and upholding the dignity of migrants, but with a gentler, more consensus-driven approach.
As his journey unfolds, all eyes are on how Pope Leo will navigate the delicate political and religious landscapes of Turkey and Lebanon. His call for peace, unity, and dialogue—delivered in a Chicagoan accent, no less—echoes far beyond the halls of palaces and cathedrals. In a world beset by “a third world war fought piecemeal,” as both he and Pope Francis have described it, the Pope’s words and actions may yet help light a path toward reconciliation.
With his measured tone and bridge-building mission, Pope Leo XIV’s first foreign trip is shaping up as a defining moment, not just for his papacy, but for the fragile hopes of peace in a troubled era.
