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Pope Leo XIV arrived in Türkiye on Thursday for his first official trip abroad, beginning a multi-day visit at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The pontiff was welcomed at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and other senior officials.
The pope’s ITA Airways flight, marked with the papal emblem, departed Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (Fiumicino) at 7:40 a.m. local time (0640 GMT) and landed in Ankara at 12:23 p.m. local time (0923 GMT).
Accompanied by Vatican officials, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the pope traveled with a delegation of over 70 journalists covering the trip.
Pope Leo XIV will be in Türkiye from Nov. 27 to 30, visiting Ankara, Istanbul and Iznik. His visit includes meetings with Turkish leaders, interfaith dialogue, and religious services at major Christian and Muslim sites.
The visit began with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic. The pope then proceeded to the Presidential Complex for an official welcome and a bilateral meeting with President Erdogan.
The two leaders are expected to discuss Türkiye–Vatican relations as well as key regional and global challenges, including the ongoing crisis in Palestine. A joint press conference is scheduled at the Cihannuma Hall of Türkiye’s Presidential National Library, one of the largest libraries in the world.
On Friday, the pope will travel to Istanbul, where he will meet Christian clerics at St. Esprit Cathedral and visit the French Poorhouse Nursing Home.
He is also scheduled to fly by helicopter to the city of Iznik for a special religious service. Iznik, historically known as Nicaea, was the site of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.
Saturday’s program includes visits to the Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) and the Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church.
Pope Leo XIV will also meet with the Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos. The day will conclude with a public service at Volkswagen Arena.
The visit will end on Sunday with a final service at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. The pope will then return to the Fener Greek Patriarchate to mark the anniversary of its founding before departing Türkiye.
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