Pope Leo XIV in Turkey "I give thanks to God for being able to visit Türkiye, and I invoke upon this country and its people an abundance of peace and prosperity.”

Pope Leo XIV Visits Atatürk Mausoleum, Calls for Unity and Peace

Pope Leo XIV began his first Apostolic Visit abroad—a 6-day trip to Türkiye and Lebanon—by visiting the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Anıtkabir ("memorial tomb"), in Ankara on Thursday morning, 27/11/2025.

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LIVE Vatican English Feed below - Second Video is the Visit

 Ceremony and the Book of Honour

Straight after the official welcome ceremony at Ankara's International Airport, Pope Leo XIV visited the site.

He was accompanied by an official delegation, including the Minister, the Vice-Governor, and the Commander of the Mausoleum.

The Pope signed the Mausoleum's Book of Honour, writing the following message:

"I give thanks to God for being able to visit Türkiye, and I invoke upon this country and its people an abundance of peace and prosperity.”

The visit was Pope Leo XIV’s first engagement upon his arrival. Later, he told journalists that the visit was “a message of unity and peace.”

Significance of Anıtkabir

The Memorial holds great significance for Turks as it honours Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the revered “Father of the Turks.” Atatürk is celebrated for leading the Turkish National Movement, establishing the Republic of Türkiye in 1923, and serving as its first president. The site symbolizes the nation’s birth, modernization, and secularism.

Anıtkabir is also the final resting place of İsmet İnönü, the second President of Türkiye, who was interred there after he died in 1973. His tomb faces the Atatürk Mausoleum, on the opposite side of the Ceremonial Ground.

The four main parts of Anıtkabir are the Road of Lions, the Ceremonial Plaza, the Hall of Honour (location of Atatürk's tomb), and the Peace Park that surrounds the monument.