ANKARA, Turkey – Pope Leo embarked on his first overseas trip Thursday, arriving in Turkey for a visit centered around interfaith dialog and marking the Thanksgiving holiday wiht a customary pumpkin pie. The pontiff began his day laying a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern turkey, and later met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace.The visit, occurring during the American Thanksgiving holiday, underscores Pope Leo’s commitment to fostering relationships with religious leaders and communities across the globe. While Turkey is a constitutionally secular nation with a predominantly Muslim population, it also holds significance as the home of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The trip aims to build bridges between Christian denominations and promote religious freedom.
Pope leo addressed political and civic leaders at the presidential palace following his meeting with President Erdogan. He then visited the Diyanet, the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey, and met with the country’s chief rabbi. He is scheduled to travel to Istanbul later Thursday.
On Friday, Pope Leo is expected to meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and participate in celebrations commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. the historic council, which established core christian beliefs, convened in 325 AD in Iznik, now modern-day turkey. The Pope is expected to share a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with Bartholomew during the celebrations.
