ANKARA, Turkey – Pope Leo XIV called on Turkey to serve as a source of stability and dialogue in a world torn by conflict, as he opened his first foreign trip on Thursday with a strong message of peace amid ongoing crises in Ukraine and Gaza.
The American pope was welcomed on the tarmac by a military guard of honor and received at the presidential palace by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking to Erdogan and the country’s diplomatic corps at the palace library, Leo praised Turkey’s historic role as a bridge between East and West, linking religions and cultures.
“May Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace,” he said in front of a giant globe. “Today, more than ever, we need people who will promote dialogue and practice it with firm will and patient resolve.”
Turkey has hosted talks between Russia and Ukraine and offered to take part in a stabilization force in Gaza to help maintain a fragile ceasefire, though Israel has rejected Turkish involvement, citing past tensions and alleged support for Hamas.
While Leo did not mention specific conflicts, he echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis, lamenting that current wars constitute a “third world war fought piecemeal,” diverting resources from fighting hunger, poverty, and environmental protection. “After two world wars, we are now experiencing a phase marked by heightened global conflict. We must not give into this. The future of humanity is at stake,” he said.
President Erdogan highlighted the Palestinian issue as central to regional peace and praised the Vatican’s “steadfast stance.” He stressed the need to strengthen the Gaza ceasefire, protect civilians, and ensure continuous humanitarian aid.
Leo also addressed the role of women in Turkish society, recognizing their contributions to professional, cultural, and political life. “We must greatly value initiatives that support the family and the contribution women make toward the full flowering of social life,” he said.
Women’s rights advocates, however, continue to criticize Erdogan’s 2021 withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty aimed at protecting women from violence. According to the advocacy group We Will Stop Femicide, 237 women have been killed in Turkey so far in 2025, most by partners or relatives, with another 247 deaths under suspicious circumstances. This week, Erdogan announced a five-point plan to combat violence against women, including promoting respect, strengthening legal protections, and rehabilitating offenders.
After Ankara, Leo will visit Istanbul to meet Orthodox Christian leaders and representatives of Turkey’s Muslim community, before traveling to Lebanon on Sunday. The trip commemorates the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a historic gathering of bishops from across the Roman Empire, and offers an opportunity to strengthen interfaith relations.
In Istanbul, Leo is scheduled to visit the Blue Mosque and lead an interfaith meeting. Imam Asgın Tunca, who will host the pope, said the visit will advance Christian-Muslim dialogue and help counter stereotypes about Islam. “We want to reflect the beauty of our religion through hospitality. That is God’s command,” he said.
Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Leo noted the historic nature of the trip and its significance for promoting global peace and unity. “We invite all people to come together in search of greater harmony and to recognize that all men and women can truly be brothers and sisters despite differences in religion or belief,” he said.
The pope also shared lighter moments with the press, wishing American reporters a Happy Thanksgiving and accepting gifts including pumpkin pies, a baseball bat once owned by White Sox legend Nellie Fox, and team-branded slippers and socks, referencing his well-known fondness for the Chicago White Sox.
Despite broad support for Palestinian rights and ending the war in Ukraine, many Turks are more focused on ongoing economic challenges caused by domestic political and market turmoil. For some, like 57-year-old artist Fatma Cicek Geyik, Leo’s visit is a welcome gesture but not a momentous event. “He’s welcome, his visit will bring joy. But I don’t see it as something to exaggerate too much. They will leave just as they came,” she said.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
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