Pope Leo XIV concluded his four-day visit to Turkey, meeting grieving families and praying with Armenians, before heading to Lebanon with a message of peace for the crisis-hit nation.
During his visit, the pope attended several Sunday services, highlighting his commitment to unity among different Christian branches, and offering encouragement to Turkey’s largest Christian community of around 50,000 Armenians.
At the Armenian Cathedral, Leo praised the community’s resilience through history, referencing the tragic massacres of 1915-1916, while Armenian Patriarch Sahak Mashalian expressed hope that the pope’s presence would ensure safety for vulnerable Christians.
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Before public events, the pontiff met privately with Andrea Minguzzi, a father mourning his 14-year-old son’s tragic death, offering prayers and support, which the father described as “fulfilling one of the greatest dreams” of his life.
Leo also took part in a divine liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George and held a lunch with Patriarch Bartholomew I, marking steps toward unity between Catholic and Orthodox Christians despite centuries-old doctrinal differences.
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Earlier, Leo met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and attended celebrations in Iznik commemorating 1,700 years since the First Council of Nicaea, reflecting his outreach to Turkey’s small but historically significant Christian population.