In a historic apostolic journey with profound ecumenical significance, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Turkey on November 27, 2025, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325). The visit, lasting until November 30, will include stops in Ankara, Istanbul, and Iznik (ancient Nicaea), the very city where the original Nicene Creed was formulated.
This will be Pope Leo XIV’s first international pilgrimage, underscoring the symbolic weight of his mission: to renew the Church’s commitment to unity and dialogue in the spirit of the early Councils and in fidelity to the call for visible Christian unity.
A Journey Rooted in History, Directed Toward Unity
The Pope’s itinerary begins in Ankara, where he will meet with Turkish state authorities, visit Anıtkabir, and address civil society and the diplomatic corps. On November 28, he will celebrate an ecumenical prayer service near the archaeological ruins of the ancient basilica of St. Neophytos in Iznik, a location deeply connected to the Council of Nicaea.
Later that day, in Istanbul, the Pope will participate in a series of high-profile encounters, including a meeting with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and the signing of a joint declaration. These events are viewed as powerful gestures of mutual respect and a reaffirmation of the Church’s commitment to healing the wounds of schism.
The visit concludes on November 30, the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, the patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Holy Father will participate in the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George, followed by an ecumenical blessing—a gesture that recalls and builds upon the groundbreaking meeting of Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras in 1964.
“One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism”
The official motto of the journey, drawn from Ephesians 4:5, proclaims: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” It is accompanied by a powerful image: a bridge spanning the Dardanelles, connecting continents and symbolizing reconciliation without erasure of difference.
In a press statement from the Turkish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the visit was described as a “call to synodal unity”—not a structural uniformity, but a “living, breathing communion” that respects spiritual charisms across ecclesial traditions.
Pastoral and Ecumenical Dimensions
Monsignor Paolo Bizzeti, former Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, emphasized the importance of this moment for the small but vibrant Catholic community in Turkey: “In the spirit of Vatican II and St. John XXIII, the Pope’s visit rekindles a deep hope for the unity of Christians and for interreligious fraternity.” He also praised Caritas Turkey, which has modeled interfaith solidarity through its humanitarian response to the 2023 earthquakes.
Pope Leo’s gesture of visiting the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) and meeting with Muslim leaders also mirrors his predecessors’ efforts to promote peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and the dignity of all believers.
A New Chapter of Christian Witness
As the Church prepares to celebrate Advent, Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Turkey is providential. In the land of the early martyrs, the Apostle Paul, and the ecumenical councils, the Holy Father’s presence reminds the faithful that the true unity of the Church is not merely administrative but deeply sacramental, rooted in the shared confession of Christ and lived in the Eucharist, charity, and common witness.
With the Council of Nicaea as its historical reference, this journey is a call to return to the Apostolic foundations of faith, to “guard the good deposit” (cf. 2 Tim 1:14), and to walk together toward the full visible unity Christ willed for his Church.
“May they all be one, so that the world may believe” (John 17:21).
EWTN Theotokos will, with the help of EWTN Global and other partners, provide live coverage and in-depth features throughout Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Turkey.
