His visit includes meetings with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as significant religious events to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
Pope Leo XIV arrives in Turkey on Thursday, 27/11, for his first visit outside the Vatican since his election, carrying highly symbolic significance for Christian unity and the promotion of peace in the world. His visit includes meetings with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as significant religious events to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
Significant events in Istanbul and Nicaea
Pope Leo XIV's historic visit to Turkey begins with his arrival in Ankara, where he is welcomed by President Erdoğan, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attending the reception ceremony.
The Pope then travels to Istanbul for a series of meetings, including discussions with representatives of the local Catholic Church and ecclesiastical visits to the cathedrals of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church. A mass liturgy will also take place at the indoor arena "Volkswagen Arena."
The culmination of the visit will take place in Nicaea, at the site where the First Ecumenical Council convened in 325 AD. There, Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew will honor the anniversary of this historic gathering, emphasizing the importance of the Nicene Creed as a common point of reference for all Christians.
The theological significance of the meeting
The meeting of the two primates is not only an important diplomatic event but also a theological milestone. Elder Emmanuel of Chalcedon, speaking to ANA-MPA, points out the importance of this visit, stressing that the joint journey to Nicaea is "beyond protocol." This visit reminds us of the need for Christian unity, which is more important than ever in a world full of fundamentalism and discord.
The message of unity and peace
The presence of the Pope and the Patriarch in Nicaea sends a powerful message of unity and peace. As Metropolitan Emmanuel emphasizes, the presence of the two religious leaders is not just a political intervention, but a reminder that peace is the presence of God in human relations. Unity, he adds, can only be achieved through humility and the overcoming of national and religious differences, and the message of the Pope and the Patriarch aims precisely at combating hatred and intolerance.
The role of the Church in global peace
According to Pope Leo XIV, Christian unity concerns not only theology but also social and global reality. His visit to Turkey and Lebanon, along with the Ecumenical Patriarch, aims to promote a message of peace and cooperation between Christians, Muslims, and other religious communities. In an era of global crisis and confrontation, Christian unity can be a source of peace and reconciliation for the whole world.
This historic visit of Pope Leo XIV is not merely a step towards the unity of the Church, but also a message of hope for the world, where love and peace must transcend divisions and interests.
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