Pope Leo may soon be making his first international trip as pontiff, following a meeting with Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan at the Vatican’s apostolic palace on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by the Turkish presidency, the Pope expressed his intention to visit Turkey at the end of November, with diplomatic teams from Ankara and the Vatican currently working on the visit’s logistics.
The meeting marks the first official engagement between Pope Leo and a senior Turkish representative since his election on May 8, succeeding the late Pope Francis. While the Vatican has yet to issue a formal confirmation or comment on the visit, the prospect aligns with earlier plans made by Francis before his passing.
The late Pope had been preparing to travel to Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a pivotal early Church gathering. He had planned to attend the event alongside Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Following Leo’s election, Patriarch Bartholomew hinted in an interview with Italian television that he and the new Pope had discussed the potential visit, indicating late November as the likely period.
If confirmed, the trip would not only mark Pope Leo’s debut on the international stage but also reinforce ecumenical ties between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
Melissa Enoch
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