Leo XIV in Turkey: Supporting Christians Without Confronting Erdoğan

Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Turkey (27–30 November 2025) unfolded in an atmosphere of marked diplomatic caution, while still sending clear signals in favor of Christian unity and respect for religious minorities. In a country where Christians number only 257,000 out of a population of 86.3 million, the Pontiff called for the protection of fundamental freedoms and acknowledged the indispensable role of Christian communities, heirs to a two-millennia-old presence now reduced to a fragile remnant.

As both head of State and pastor, Leo XIV met in Turkey political and religious authorities, encouraged peace initiatives, and supported the small Christian communities whose social and charitable work far exceeds their demographic weight. At the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Istanbul, he invited the “little flock” of Catholic believers to “look with God’s eyes,” recalling that “He has chosen the way of littleness, descending into our midst.”

A littleness that resonates powerfully in Turkey, where Christians now make up only 0.3% of the population after centuries of forced Islamization, progressive Turkification from the 11th century onward, and waves of large-scale violence — the Hamidian massacres, the Armenian and Assyro-Chaldean genocides, the expulsion of the Greeks, and repeated pogroms — all orchestrated by the State to forge an ethnically and religiously homogeneous Sunni-Turkish nation.

Today, as the latest report of the European Centre for Law and Justice explains, Christians continue to face direct violence — physical attacks or assaults against churches — social hostility, hostile educational narratives, State interference in Greek Orthodox and Armenian patriarchal elections, and severe obstacles in managing their foundations. It is in this difficult context that the pope encouraged Catholics in Turkey to persevere in the demanding pastoral work “of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, of transmitting the faith to the local population, and of pastoral service to refugees and migrants.”

Between Diplomatic Prudence and a Call for Christian Unity

In accordance with the protocol for visiting heads of State, Leo XIV had to pay homage to Atatürk — founder of the Turkish Republic in 1923, but also one of the architects of the marginalization of the last Christian communities of Anatolia. At the seat of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, he used cautious language, referring to the “tragic circumstances” of the early 20th century and avoiding — unlike Pope Francis in 2015 — the word genocide.

In Iznik, ancient Nicaea, the pope celebrated the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and several leaders of Eastern Churches. Together they recited the Nicene Creed, without the filioque, in its original 325 formulation — a highly symbolic gesture for Christian unity.

Unlike his predecessors Benedict XVI and Francis, who prayed in the Blue Mosque during their visits in 2006 and 2014, Leo XIV did not pray. Nor did he visit Hagia Sophia, the symbolic heart of Eastern Christianity and the equivalent of St. Peter’s Basilica for the Ecumenical Patriarch — converted into a mosque in 1453, turned into a museum in 1934, and reconverted into a mosque in 2020.

These abstentions mark a shift: the priority of this pontificate appears to be the unity of the Church rather than highly publicized interreligious gestures. Leo XIV reaffirmed his desire to gather all Christian denominations in the Holy Land in 2033 for the bimillennium of Christ’s death and resurrection. The aspiration to find a common date for Easter remains, but still without concrete progress.

Turkey Must Protect Its Christians

Addressing State authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps, the pope praised Turkey’s plural vocation, a “crossroads of sensibilities [whose] uniformity would be an impoverishment.” He emphasized the dignity and freedom of every person, recalling that Christians “are, and feel part of, Turkish identity.” In a country where religion plays a highly visible public role, he called for the rights of all — citizens and foreigners alike — to be protected. The message was clear, though phrased with diplomatic restraint: Turkey must ensure religious freedom and protect its Christian minorities.

On the flight to Beirut, Leo XIV described Turkey as “a country where the vast majority is Muslim, yet there is a presence of numerous Christian communities there, although a very small minority, and yet people of different religions are able to live in peace,” even calling it “an example” for the world. A pious hope that contrasts sharply with reality: hate speech, expulsions of foreign Christians, administrative harassment, obstacles to church life and legal recognition, and systemic discrimination remain widespread. Let us pray that the pope’s encouragements will be heard — and followed by concrete action.