Pope Leo XIV Receives Praise from President Erdogan as the 5th Modern Pontiff to Visit Turkey Opening Historic Discussions for the Catholic Church
Holy See-Turkey Relations:
Turkey, officially known as Türkiye, stretches across two continents and is therefore slightly larger than the area of Texas; with a total area of 785,350 km.² Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor, covers around 97% of the country's surface area. Only 3% is on the Balkan Peninsula in south-eastern Europe. As the metropolitan area of Istanbul is also located here, a total of 85.52 million people live in the country. The average population density is 108.9 inhabitants per km². Almost one in six inhabitants lives in Istanbul, a metropolis of over 15 million. This makes it the country's largest city, far ahead of the capital Ankara, and also its economic and cultural center. (World Data Base)
SEE ALSO FULL COVERAGE of POPE LEO XIV in Turkiye at LINK https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/search/label/Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20in%20Turkiye
Turkey borders the Aegean Sea, Greece and Bulgaria to the west, the Black Sea to the northwest and Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran to the east. Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean lie to the south.
Turkey borders the Aegean Sea, Greece and Bulgaria to the west, the Black Sea to the northwest and Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran to the east. Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean lie to the south.
Why is Turkiye Important for Christians? Antioch, now Antakya in Turkey, is significant because it was a major center for early Christianity, where followers of Jesus were first called "Christians". It served as a key base for St. Peter and St. Paul's missionary journeys, the first to actively spread the gospel to non-Jews (Gentiles). Antioch was the site of a major debate, described in Acts 15, which led to the Jerusalem Council. This council decided that converts did not need to follow all Jewish laws, a pivotal moment for the church's mission to the Gentiles.
Today there are about 33,000 Catholics in the country with 40 churches, 18 pastoral centers, and 10 bishops.
During his historic Apostolic Journey to Turkiye Pope Leo XIV received praise from Turkey's Muslim leader. In particular, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, age 71, mentioned the issue of Palestine and the Israel-Gaza war; he lauded the position of the Vatican on this issue. Erdogan also highlighted favorably Pope Leo's stance on marriage, family, the unborn, and gender. LISTEN to the President's speech:
During his historic Apostolic Journey to Turkiye Pope Leo XIV received praise from Turkey's Muslim leader. In particular, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, age 71, mentioned the issue of Palestine and the Israel-Gaza war; he lauded the position of the Vatican on this issue. Erdogan also highlighted favorably Pope Leo's stance on marriage, family, the unborn, and gender. LISTEN to the President's speech:
There is a significant history marking the complex yet essential relationship between the Holy See and Turkey, a nation bridging Europe and Asia.
Century-Old Ties and Diplomatic Relations + Long-Standing Relationship: Relations between the Holy See and Turkey have historically been marked by friendliness, dating back to 1868 with the former Ottoman Empire.
Essential Crossroads: Turkey is viewed as a crucial location for interfaith encounter and dialogue, particularly given the current complexities in the Middle East.
Papal Visits to Turkey
Before Pope Leo XIV, four pontiffs visited Turkey.
Leo XIV's Apostolic Journey (Turkey and Lebanon)
Pope Leo XIV's first foreign visit combined Turkey and Lebanon, a decision that restores the Mediterranean Sea to a central role as a spiritual and human heart.
Focus on Dialogue: Leo XIV is putting a personal mark on the visit by combining the memory of the ancient faith of Nicaea (site of the First Council of Nicaea's 1,700th anniversary, a dream unfulfilled by his predecessor Pope Francis) with the objective of strengthening synodal dialogue between the Churches.
Key Meetings: In Istanbul, Pope Leo XIV will meet not only with Patriarch Bartholomew but also with leaders of other Eastern Churches for moments of common prayer.
Central Message: Faced with war in the Middle East, migration, and the climate crisis, the Holy Father renews his appeal to "disarm hearts."
Papal Visits to Turkey
Before Pope Leo XIV, four pontiffs visited Turkey.
| Pope | Visit Date | Key Events/Significance |
| Paul VI | 1967 | Commemorated his historic 1964 meeting with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras I. Also met with leaders of the Armenian, Muslim, and Jewish communities. |
| John Paul II | November 1979 | Apostolic journey. |
| Benedict XVI | November 2006 | Historic visit to the Blue Mosque, becoming the second pontiff to enter an Islamic place of worship, an effort to boost Muslim-Christian relations. |
| Francis | 2014 | Visited Turkey a year after his election. |
Pope Leo XIV's first foreign visit combined Turkey and Lebanon, a decision that restores the Mediterranean Sea to a central role as a spiritual and human heart.
Focus on Dialogue: Leo XIV is putting a personal mark on the visit by combining the memory of the ancient faith of Nicaea (site of the First Council of Nicaea's 1,700th anniversary, a dream unfulfilled by his predecessor Pope Francis) with the objective of strengthening synodal dialogue between the Churches.
Key Meetings: In Istanbul, Pope Leo XIV will meet not only with Patriarch Bartholomew but also with leaders of other Eastern Churches for moments of common prayer.
Central Message: Faced with war in the Middle East, migration, and the climate crisis, the Holy Father renews his appeal to "disarm hearts."
Sources: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/11/25/0906/01635.html
Vatican News
https://www.worlddata.info/asia/turkey/index.php
https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Amid-dialogue-and-controversy,-Sultan-Erdogan-welcomes-the-fifth-pope-to-visit-Turkey-64361.html#google_vignette
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