Pope’s final wish to visit Turkish town unfulfilled as locals mourn his death
A man receives lokma, a traditional Turkish sweet distributed in times of mourning, from a street vendor in Iznik, Bursa on April 21, 2025. (IHA Photo)
Local merchants distributed traditional Turkish sweets in mourning and uncertainty hung over extensive preparations in Iznik after Pope Francis’ death abruptly ended plans for his anticipated May visit to the historic Turkish town.
The Vatican announced the 88-year-old pontiff’s death Tuesday, with Cardinal Kevin Farrell confirming in a live broadcast that the Catholic spiritual leader had died at his Casa Santa Marta residence.
Pope Francis was scheduled to visit Iznik on May 21, 2025, to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a pivotal event in Christian history that took place in the town in 325 A.D.
“The Pope has expressed his intention to go, but there has been no official announcement, so at present we have no considerations to share,” the Holy See’s press office told Türkiye Today shortly before Francis’s death, responding to inquiries about the visit’s status amid health concerns.
The town had been preparing for months for the historic visit, which would have marked Pope Francis’ first papal visit focused solely on one Turkish destination. The Turkish Ministry of Tourism had been working intensively to ready the basilica where the pope was expected to conduct services.
“The Pope’s visit would have been very good for Iznik’s economy. We don’t know what will happen now. It would have been very effective for tourism,” local merchants and residents said, as shopkeepers distributed lokma, a traditional sweet offered in commemoration of the deceased.
Iznik mayor in sorrow after Pope’s death
Iznik Mayor Kagan Mehmet Usta expressed condolences while confirming that preparations would continue. “Today is a sad day for Christians. We learned this with sadness. Pope Francis was going to visit Iznik in May due to the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council. The cardinal who last visited us had conveyed that the Pope wanted to come only to Iznik in 2025,” Usta said.
“Our work continues. What will be done in the coming days will be announced. Iznik is a very important center for the Christian world where the First Council was held in 325. The Christian world has included Iznik on its pilgrimage route,” the mayor added, noting that nearly 3 billion Christians have shown interest in the town.
Local tourism operator Bekir Uslu, whose business stands near the basilica, remained hopeful about future visitors. “We are saddened by the Pope’s death. We think someone else will come in place of the deceased Pope. We will host the guests who come in the best way possible. We will show Turkish hospitality. We have made all our preparations,” he said.
The Vatican delegation is expected to arrive in Iznik later this month to determine whether the newly elected pope will maintain the planned visit to the site of the First Council of Nicaea, a meeting that established key Christian doctrines, including the Nicene Creed.
The basilica near Lake Iznik, where Pope Francis was to have conducted official ceremonies, is scheduled to be converted into a museum within the next month, according to local officials. The site joins the Hagia Sophia Mosque and Roman Theater as key locations that had been prepared for the papal visit.
