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In a historic decision, the College of Cardinals on Thursday elected American-born Robert Francis Prevost as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, making him the first pope from the United States. Taking the name Leo XIV, he succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this month.
The announcement marks a watershed moment for the Church’s 1.4 billion followers, ushering in a new era under a pontiff whose roots lie in Chicago, Illinois.
According to Massimiliano Palinuro, Episcopal Vicar of the Latin Catholic Community in Istanbul, Türkiye may become Pope Leo XIV’s first international destination — if Ankara extends an official invitation.
Türkiye Today had reached out to Press Office of the Holy See shortly before the Pope’s death to inquire about the status of the visit, given recent concerns over his health. In response to a question by Türkiye Today's editor, Koray Erdogan, the press office stated, "The Pope has expressed his intention to go, but there has been no official announcement, so at present we have no considerations to share."
In his first interview following the death of Pope Francis, Palinuro told CNN Turk that the late pontiff had planned to visit Türkiye on May 24, 2025, for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea — a landmark event in Christian history held in 325 A.D. in what is now the Turkish town of Iznik.
“Pope Francis wanted this visit until the last minute,” said Palinuro, adding that a Vatican delegation, including a cardinal and 14 assistants, had been expected to travel to Türkiye to prepare for the visit in coordination with Turkish authorities.
Pope Francis had planned to visit Iznik on May 21 to attend commemorations of the council, which was pivotal in defining core tenets of Christian doctrine.
Following the pope’s death, local shopkeepers in Iznik distributed traditional sweets as a gesture of mourning. The town had invested heavily in preparing for the historic visit, but with the change in papal leadership, the future of those plans remains unclear.
Still, hopes are high that Pope Leo XIV will uphold his predecessor’s intentions. Palinuro stated: “If the next pope receives an invitation from Türkiye, he will definitely come here, making Türkiye his first visit.”
If realized, the visit would underscore Türkiye’s unique historical and geographical position in Christian history — and reinforce Vatican-Ankara ties under a new papacy.
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