RECAP: Pope Leo in T\u00fcrkiye On his first trip abroad as pope, Pope Leo XIV chose a destination that physically and culturally lies between continents: Turkey. The visit opened in Ankara, the country\u2019s capital, where he honored the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atat\u00fcrk, at his mausoleum before meeting with political officials at the Presidential Palace. There, Pope Leo urged the country to embrace its unique vocation as a connector of civilizations. \u201cIndeed, a society is alive if it has a plurality, for what makes it a civil society are the bridges that link its people together.\u201d President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan emphasized religious coexistence and reiterated support for a Palestinian state. Pope Leo praised Turkey\u2019s diversity and encouraged stronger protection for women and families\u2014an especially pointed message following Turkey\u2019s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. While the pope met officials in Ankara, Istanbul\u2019s Christian community prepared for his arrival. The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, the largest Catholic church in the city, welcomes not only Christians but also many Muslims seeking prayer and spiritual guidance. Fr. Michal Sabatura, OFM, Superior of the Franciscans at Saint Anthony Church, explained:\u201cThis is a Jubilee church, and our Christian community here is very small. In Turkey, about ninety percent of people are Muslims.\u201d He added: \u201cThey come with their problems\u2026 They have a deep faith and for one reason or another they are drawn here\u2026 Our community is small and often unseen. This visit lets Turks notice that Christians are here, in this city and in Turkey.\u201d Many Christians cannot travel to Rome, he noted, making the pope\u2019s visit especially meaningful: \u201cWe live here as neighbours who respect one another.\u201d The community has also endured tragedy: last year two terrorists opened fire at another Franciscan church, killing a Turkish friend of the parish before their weapons jammed. Turkey has only about 33,000 Catholics in a population of more than 85 million, mostly Sunni Muslim. Many expressed joy as they awaited Pope Leo: \u201cA moment of encouragement\u2026 a beautiful celebration, indeed, a blessing for us all.\u201d At the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Pope Leo thanked priests, religious, and lay workers, reminding them their mission is not power but presence\u2014\u201ca little leaven\u201d in society. Outside central Istanbul, the Little Sisters of the Poor prepared to welcome the pope to their home for the elderly. Sister Margueritte, the director, explained that \u201cwe are looking after poor, elderly persons who have maybe very meagre pension\u2026 So we bring them to our home here and we try to make it their own home.\u201d Another sister added the challenges of being a Catholic institution in Turkey:\u201cWe cannot do what we want\u2026 we cannot share our faith with others\u2026 but in our own ways we try to help them\u2026 We stay with them.\u201d Sister Margueritte emphasized the spirit behind their mission. \u201cIt must be done in a Christ-like spirit \u2013 with humility, with service, with gentleness, with understanding\u2026\u201d The pope then traveled by helicopter to \u0130znik, ancient Nicaea, for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed was first articulated. Expert Przemys\u0142aw Szewczyk noted the significance of the pope\u2019s chosen prayer site. \u201cThis very celebration of Nicaea in the basilica of a martyr is a reminder that Christians in the East pay a very high price\u2026 Leo is not coming to the imperial palace\u2026 but comes to the tomb of a martyr\u2026 to pay homage to all those who gave their lives for the faith.\u201d Beside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Leo prayed for restored unity between Catholics and Orthodox Christians. The leaders signed a Joint Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to healing division and rejecting any invocation of God\u2019s name to justify violence. The following day, Pope Leo continued the tradition of his predecessors by entering Istanbul\u2019s Blue Mosque, removing his shoes in respect for the Muslim majority. However, unlike previous popes, he did not pause for a visible moment of prayer, though invited. The Vatican later stated he experienced the visit \u201cin a spirit of contemplation and listening.\u201d The visit concluded with a packed Mass at Istanbul\u2019s Volkswagen Arena\u2014the first time a pope has celebrated a public liturgy in such a venue in Turkey. Around 4,000 Catholics attended, demonstrating the community\u2019s commitment despite its size. Pope Leo highlighted Turkey\u2019s four liturgical traditions\u2014Latin, Armenian, Chaldean, and Syriac\u2014as symbols of unity: \u201cEach one contributes its own spiritual, historical and ecclesial richness\u2026 a Catholicity that unites.\u201d Adapted by Jacob Stein Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Magdalena Wolinska-Riedi Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. 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