The traveling debut of a Pope with a lot of diplomatic work
Well, the new tenant of the Vatican, Leo XIV, decided that his first official trip would not be to the beach, but to Türkiye. Nothing like choosing a destination with an explosive mix of geopolitics, religious tensions and a cost of living crisis to brand new suitcases. He arrived in Ankara on Thursday, where he was received with a military honor guard and a turquoise carpet that, let’s be honest, is the real protagonist of the photos. The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and other officials were there for the protocol greeting, because in this matter of diplomacy, photos are the new ‘like’ on Instagram.
In his talk with journalists on board the plane (yes, the Pope also gives press conferences at 10,000 meters above sea level), he acknowledged the historic nature of his inaugural tour. Basically, it comes to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which for those who are not experts in ecclesiastical history, was like the first ‘Coachella’ of Christianity, but with less music and more theological debates. His agenda is a marathon: meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speech before the diplomatic corps and then to Istanbul for three days of ecumenical and interreligious meetings. Come on, you don’t even have room to try a baklava.
Türkiye, the mediator with problems at home
While the pontiff sets foot on Turkish soil, the country presents itself as the key intermediary in the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Ankara has hosted low-level talks between Russia and Ukraine and has even offered for a stabilization force in Gaza. All very laudable, but meanwhile, ordinary Turks grapple with a cost of living crisis that makes international politics seem like a luxury. It is not surprising that León’s visit goes almost unnoticed by most, outside of the small local Christian community.
The reaction of people on the street is a mix of indifference and ‘we’ve already seen this movie’ style skepticism. Sukran Celebi, an ordinary citizen, uttered the phrase of the day: “It would be good if it called for peace in the world, but I don’t think it will change anything.” And Metin Erdem, owner of an instrument store in the Galata district, got right to the point: “If the pope is visiting, that means the United States wants something from Turkey.” Because, of course, in the collective mind, the first American pope in history cannot be just a spiritual tourist.
The anniversary, unity and the ghosts of the past
The highlight of the trip is the commemoration of the Council of Nicaea in modern-day Iznik. There, Leo will pray with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and they will sign a joint declaration, a gesture of Christian unity that attempts to heal wounds from the Great Schism of 1054. Basically, it’s like when two friends who stopped talking due to a misunderstanding on Twitter try to reconcile 1,000 years later. But the agenda is not only ecumenical: the visit to the Blue Mosque and an interreligious meeting seek to strengthen ties with Muslims. Asgin Tunca, the imam who will receive the pontiff, hopes that the visit will help dispel prejudices about Islam. In other words, a full-fledged public relations ‘reset’.
But not everything is peace and love. The state of religious freedom in Türkiye is a thorny issue. Although Erdogan’s government has implemented reforms, Christian groups still face legal obstacles. The Catholic Church, with some 33,000 faithful in the country, has no formal legal recognition, which, according to the Rev. Paolo Pugliese, is “the source of many problems.” And then there is the potentially explosive moment: the visit to the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Istanbul. Francis, Leon’s predecessor, angered Turkey in 2015 by calling the massacres of Armenians “the first genocide of the 20th century.” León, more cautious in his statements, will have to navigate this minefield with the delicacy of a surgeon. Because if you drop the word ‘genocide’, the Turkish response could be an instant diplomatic block.
What does all this leave us? That Leo XIV‘s traveling debut is a cocktail of symbolism, realpolitik and hopes for peace, served in a region where nothing is simple. A millennial Pope in a world that continues to play with the rules of the last century.
Did you find this analysis of Vatican diplomacy interesting? Share this article on your social networks and explore more content on international politics on our website.
