Pope Leo XIV and Erdogan meet in Ankara: Message of peace and cooperation

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKIYE — NOVEMBER 27, 2025

Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, made his first foreign visit to Turkey following his election, meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara.

This historic visit, organized on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, began with his arrival at Ankara Esenboğa Airport. In the press conference held after the bilateral meeting at the Presidential Complex, many global issues ranging from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to rising Islamophobia in the West were discussed.

Peace wish at Anıtkabir

Pope Leo's first stop in the capital was Anıtkabir. Laying a wreath at Atatürk's mausoleum and observing a moment of silence, the Pope recorded his wishes for peace in the Anıtkabir Special Book.

The Pope wrote in the book: "I thank God for being able to visit Turkey and I wish peace and abundance of prosperity to this country and its people."

Erdoğan: Israel hit the only Catholic church

In his statement following the meeting, President Erdoğan stated that the visit was a meaningful occasion to draw attention to common values. Touching specifically on the situation in Gaza, Erdoğan harshly criticized Israel's attacks on civilian settlements.

Erdoğan included the following statements in his speech:

"The Israeli government has been bombing civilian settlements, including churches, mosques, and hospitals, for months. One of the places of worship hit by Israel was the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza."

Drawing attention to the rising Islamophobia in the West, Erdoğan emphasized that people from every religion and sect live in peace in Turkey and that many churches have been restored since 2002.

Pope Leo: Christians are part of your country

Pope Leo XIV described Turkey as an "intersection of sensitivities" and pointed to the importance of pluralism. Giving a message of unity against polarization in the world, the Pope said, "Christians are also a part of your country."

Criticizing the global economic system and individualism, the Pope made the following call to the international community:

"The future of humanity is at stake. Resources absorbed by destructive dynamics are diverted from the fight against hunger and poverty. Those whose hearts are open to God's will promote the common good and treating everyone with respect."

Following his contacts in Ankara, Pope Leo XIV will proceed to Iznik (Nicaea), the site of the 1st Council, which holds great importance for the history of Christianity.

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