Leo, it was a nice trip. … He said. He also stressed that he wants to invite all Christian leaders to meet again, most likely in Jerusalem, eight years later, to commemorate two thousand years of Christ’s resurrection.
Half an hour after taking off from Istanbul, the Pope unexpectedly called a press conference, the first of its kind in his papacy. As he flew over Türkiye to Beirut, he thanked the host country and President Erdogan “and all the people and means he made available to make things go well.” “He even lent us the helicopter,” he stressed.
Then he answered two questions and stressed that one of the priorities of the visit was “promoting peace in the region.” “The vast majority of the population are Muslims, and there is a minority of Christians and followers of other religions. “And among them they live in peace, and it is an example to the whole world, living together in peace despite differences.”
He stressed that one of the issues he addressed during his closed meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan “was peace” in Gaza and Ukraine. “We talked about both cases.”
Regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, he stated that “the Holy See has publicly supported the two-state solution for years, which Israel does not accept, but we see it as the only solution that can provide a solution to the conflict it is constantly experiencing.” “We are friends of Israel and we are trying with both parties to be a mediating voice that can help get closer to a solution that achieves justice for all. “I spoke with Erdogan, and he agrees with this proposal, and Turkey has an important role.”
Regarding Ukraine, he stated that Erdogan in the past “helped hold meetings” between Kiev and Moscow, but “unfortunately the matter was not resolved.” He added, “We have seen that another proposal (for a solution) is now being put forward, and we hope that President Erdogan will contribute to the dialogue between the presidents of Ukraine, Russia and the United States.”
Ecumenical meeting in Jerusalem
In his agenda in Türkiye, the pope highlighted the meeting in Nicaea, commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council and the formation of the Creed that Christians still share. “It was a simple and profound ceremony next to the remains of this basilica to remember the agreement between the Christian denominations.”
A Vatican spokesman suggested that he explain the special meeting he held on Saturday behind closed doors with the patriarchs, representatives of the Christian churches. “Yesterday morning we talked about possible future meetings, one of which would be in 2033, 2,000 years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, an event that all Christians want to celebrate. “Maybe we can celebrate it in Jerusalem in 2033. There are years to go, and I have not formalized the invitation, but it was a beautiful meeting because there were Christians from all traditions.”
The press conference lasted less than 10 minutes, and the Pope confirmed with him that he wanted to maintain the recent papal habit of commenting on trips as soon as they ended, while at the same time avoiding controversial responses. The two questions were limited to questions related to the trip. We will see on Tuesday whether he will also answer questions about other current issues.
At 2:30 pm local time, the Pope’s plane entered Lebanese territory and was escorted by two military aircraft to Beirut Airport as a welcome gesture. They were the first Lebanese to receive him.