Pope Leo XIV encouraged Türkiye to continue being a source of stability and dialogue in a world riven by conflict, as he opened his first foreign trip as pope on Thursday with a plea for peace amid efforts to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
The American pope emphasized a message of peace as he arrived in Ankara, welcomed on the tarmac by a military guard of honor and at the presidential palace by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, The AP news reported.
Speaking to Erdogan and the country’s diplomatic corps at a library in the palace complex, Leo praised Türkiye's historic role as a bridge between East and West, at the crossroads of religions and cultures.
“May Türkiye be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace,” he said, speaking 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.”
Leo’s visit comes as Türkiye has cast itself as a key intermediary in efforts to end the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Ankara has hosted rounds of talks with Russia and with Ukraine and offered to take part in the stabilization force in Gaza to help oversee a fragile ceasefire.
Leo didn’t cite the conflicts specifically, but he quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, in lamenting that the wars ravaging the world today amount to a “third world war fought piecemeal,” with resources spent on armaments instead of fighting hunger and poverty and protecting creation.
After two world wars, "we are now experiencing a phase marked by a heightened level of conflict on the global level,” he said. “We must not give into this! The future of humanity is at stake.”
The speech was closely watched, since the first speech of any pope trip sets the tone for his visit. That’s all the more true for this first trip abroad for the first American pope, who will be delivering all his remarks in Türkiye in English in a departure for the Italian-centric Vatican. It was thus significant that Leo also commented on the plight of women in Türkiye.
“Women, in particular, through their studies and active participation in professional, cultural and political life, are increasingly placing themselves at the service of your community and its positive influence on the international scene,” Leo said.
“We must greatly value then the important initiatives in this regard, which support the family and the contribution that women make toward the full flowering of social life.”
This week, Erdogan unveiled a new five-point plan to combat violence against women, including promoting a culture of respect, strengthening legal protections, and rehabilitating perpetrators.
After Ankara, Leo heads to Istanbul for the meetings and prayers with Orthodox Christian leaders as well as representatives of Türkiye's majority Muslim community. He then travels to Lebanon on Sunday.
