Leo XIV, an American pope, begins his papacy in Türkiye

The trip starts on the same day A Nigerian archbishop denounced at the United Nations the massacres against Christians in his country Part of what many know as a slow-motion genocide in Nigeria’s middle belt.

During the flight from Rome to Ankara, Robert Francis Prevost (70 years old) pointed this out to 80 media professionals accompanying him I hope to visit Spain soon: “There is more than hope,” he asserted, before landing in what he himself defines as a land “closely linked to the origins of Christianity.”

The visit began with a very politically charged exchange. “We applaud “The Pope’s intelligent position on the Palestinian issue”Turkish President Recep Tayyip announced Erdogan (71 years old), in the Ankara National Library, referring to Leo XIV’s condemnation of the destruction of Gaza and civilian suffering, Continuing Francis’ line: explicit support for the two-state solution and respect for the status of Jerusalem, in relation to humanitarian and international law, without siding with any specific government.

Without mentioning Gaza or Ukraine, the Pope issued a global appeal for peace and asked to abandon military logic. He called for “renouncing the use of weapons as a means of solving problems” and “sitting together at the table, dialogue and working together to find solutions,” stressing that justice and compassion, not force, should guide development.

He rejected the “false logic” of each group locking itself into its own faith, and called for a “culture of encounter” in the face of the “globalization of indifference.”

The trip is A test of the ability of the first American Pope to the management of Gaza, the future of Christians in the Middle East and tensions between the churches, examining whether this reinforces the Pope’s image of unity or defines his own identity.

He is His first trip, but also his most important: He leaves his comfort zone in Rome, exposes himself to the media spotlight for six days and uses papal diplomacy to intervene in the most turbulent region on the planet.

Türkiye, the cradle of Christianity and the place of travel

That the Pope started specifically in Türkiye is not a coincidence. On Friday, he will visit Istanbul and Nicaea (today’s Iznik, about 200 kilometers southeast of Istanbul), where he will visit Istanbul. Council of Nicaea He was summoned by Emperor Constantine, who established the Creed and the Doctrine of Christ. Leo

Present-day Turkish territory was also where Jesus’ disciples first obtained the name “Christians”: in ancient Antiochtoday’s Antioch, where Saint Paul’s great letter to the Greco-Roman world begins. From there the messenger’s routes cross all of Anatolia, and he establishes communities in cities that are now Turkish, incl Seven churches of the end of the world: Ephesus, Izmir (Izmir)Pergamon (Bergama), Thyatira (Akhesar),Sardis (She walked),Philadelphia (the famous) and Laodicea (Denizli). The first seven ecumenical councils defining the entire Christian faith were held in what is now Turkish territory, and even bishop MiraSaint Nicholas – The legendary origin of Santa Claus– Belongs to this geography.

It is added to the great Bible episodes found in the region (Abraham, Mount Ararat), the driving idea is clear: Christianity was not only born in Palestine, but was named, organized, and popularized in what is now Turkey. This is why Leo

Continuity with Francisco

The Vatican emphasizes continuity with outstanding promises The late Pope Francis: Celebrating the anniversary of Nicaea with Ecumenical PatriarchateThe spiritual and historical headquarters of the Orthodox Church centered in Istanbul, whose patriarch – the Patriarch of Constantinople – is considered Primus between Paris (first among equals) among Orthodox bishops, with moral authority but not direct authority over other autocephalous churches.

Lucky VenegasThe Greek Orthodox leader in Istanbul carefully remembers the invitation of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I Saint Francis will celebrate the anniversary of Nicaea together and stresses that Leo is “following in the footsteps of his predecessor” by maintaining this commitment and beginning his papacy with this visit. The presence of the Pope alongside the Patriarch is interpreted as a new stage of mutual commitment between East and West, with the aim of sending a message of coexistence and joint work with other races and religions, and not just between Christians.

In addition to his meeting with Erdogan and Bartholomew, the Pope of Chicago meets with the President of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and with the Chief Rabbi, an agenda that shows his openness to dialogue with Islam and Judaism.

Traumatized Christian minorities in Türkiye

If a century ago Christians represented about 20% in Türkiye, today they barely represent about 0.5% of the population. His situation is very fragile after a series of traumatic events: Armenian Genocide (1915-1917), preceded him Massacres Hamidians And the Adana massacre; A decade of violence against Assyrians and Syriacs (1915-24) and ZExtermination and expulsion of the Greeks Orthodoxy Anatolia, from 1914 until the Istanbul massacre of 1955, which continued into the 1960s.

Although the Turkish Constitution officially protects religious freedom, this century of discrimination, forced exile, and violence leaves Christians in a position of inequality and exclusion, which has been exacerbated by the transition to democracy. The conservative nationalism of Erdogan’s Islamist party, the Justice and Development Party. Massimiliano PalinuroThe Bishop of Istanbul explained that although the state “defends Christians,” the population’s prejudices make daily life difficult, and he expressed confidence that the papal visit would bring more acceptance and respect.

For his part, Erdogan insists on the image of a bridge state: “Türkiye, in the heart of the three continents, occupies a unique position between East and West, and acts as a bridge between different cultures and beliefs.” Pointing out that in cities such as Istanbul, Hatay, Mardin or Diyarbakir, you can see “side by side mosques, churches and synagogues, which have lived here for centuries without fear or persecution,” he defended his policy of welcoming refugees and issued a warning about “Islamophobia in the West.”

Lebanon is the last stronghold of Christians

The second leg of the trip takes Leo It is the Arab country with the highest percentage of Christians around One third of the population– and one of the few places where they remain a central political player in the Middle East, despite the evacuation of entire neighborhoods and parishes in recent decades.

The aim of the papal visit is to highlight the suffering of the Lebanese people and, in particular, the trauma of the Lebanese people. Beirut port explosion In August 2020. The Lion’s Silent Prayer

The visit comes with a new political leadership in Beirut trying to rebuild the state and may reinforce the view of Lebanon as the last major Christian stronghold in the region and a key piece in the regional construction after the war in Gaza. Greek Orthodox priest hopelessness generosityIn the Lebanese city of Qab Elias, he is raising expectations for the first American pope: “We hope that the pope’s message will encourage Christians who still live in these lands and inspire them to remain connected to them,” he says, confident that his nationality will allow him to influence the Donald Trump administration to seek peace in the region.

Aside from his meeting on Thursday with Erdogan in Ankara, Leo XIV will meet in Istanbul with Bartholomew, visit the Blue Mosque and celebrate a high mass with the Catholic minority. In Iznik, the Council of Nicaea will be commemorated. During his three-day visit to Lebanon, he meets with the authorities, patriarchs and young people, and visits the two great Christian spiritual lungs: the shrine of Harissa (Our Lady of Lebanon) and the shrine of Saint Charbel, the miraculous Maronite monk in Annaya. The visit culminates in a silent prayer and a mass mass at the port of Beirut.