Pope to conclude Turkey visit before moving on to Lebanon

Pope Leo XIV concluded a four-day journey to Turkey on Sunday, receiving a heartfelt reception from the countrys small Christian population, before traveling to Lebanon with a message of peace amid the nations ongoing crises.

This marks the first international trip for Leo since becoming the leader of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics. During his stay, he met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and traveled to Iznik to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a milestone event in early Church history.

On Saturday, the American pope celebrated a public mass in Istanbul, attracting thousands of worshippers who braved the rain to attend. Many participants traveled from across Turkey to join the multilingual service, which was noted for its moving and atmospheric choral performances.

On the final morning of his visit, Leo was scheduled to participate in a prayer service at the Armenian cathedral, followed by leading a divine liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, before offering a concluding blessing. He was also set to share lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the head of the Orthodox Christian world, following their signing of a joint declaration pledging "new and courageous steps toward unity."

Despite centuries-old theological differences that led to the Great Schism of 1054, dividing the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, dialogue and shared celebrations continue. Both churches have also committed to ongoing efforts to establish a unified date for Easter, which is currently celebrated on separate dates.

The visit occurs during a time of increasing divisions within the Orthodox world, with Russias invasion of Ukraine intensifying the rift between the Moscow and Constantinople patriarchates. Pope Leo becomes the fifth pontiff to visit Turkey, following Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006, and Francis in 2014.

He is scheduled to depart Istanbul at 11:45 GMT to continue his trip in Beirut, which will last until Tuesday. This six-day, two-country journey represents the first major international test for the first American pope, elected in May, whose understated approach contrasts with the dynamic style of his predecessor, Francis.

While the visit attracted modest attention in Turkey, a Muslim-majority country of 86 million with a Christian population of around 100,000, it is highly anticipated in Lebanon, a nation of 5.8 million known for its religious diversity. Lebanon has faced severe challenges since 2019, including economic collapse, the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020, and the recent conflict with Israel.

Author: Sophia Brooks