Ankara: As Pope Leo XIV prepares for his first apostolic journey to Turkiye later this month, Church leaders and local faithful are viewing the visit as a powerful opportunity to renew dialogue, unity, and service values deeply rooted in the vision of the Second Vatican Council.
Bishop Paolo Bizzeti, the former Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia and outgoing President of Caritas Türkiye, described the visit as a historic moment for both the Church and the broader interfaith community of Türkiye a “mosaic of faiths and traditions” that continues to shape the nation’s social and spiritual identity.
From November 27 to 30, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Ankara, Istanbul, and İznik (ancient Nicaea), where he will mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council a cornerstone in Christian history.
“The Holy Father’s visit is not simply ceremonial,” Bishop Bizzeti said in an interview with Vatican News. “It is a visit of closeness to meet the flock, to remind them that the Good Shepherd never forgets His people. Türkiye is a land of deep Christian roots it was here, in Antioch, that the disciples were first called Christians.”
The bishop, who served in Anatolia from 2015 to 2024, said the Pope’s trip carries immense pastoral and symbolic weight for a Christian minority that often feels isolated. “To have the Successor of Peter walk among them that is a sign of encouragement, unity, and renewed faith,” he said.
The upcoming commemoration in İznik, the ancient site of the Council of Nicaea, is expected to be one of the central highlights of the Pope’s journey. Bishop Bizzeti sees in it a profound link to the spirit of Vatican II the 20th-century Council that reshaped the Church’s relationship with the modern world and other faiths.
“The anniversary of Nicaea reminds us of our duty to express faith in new languages and categories,” he explained. “It is about seeking unity rather than division, about returning to the roots of our shared belief as Saint John XXIII encouraged during Vatican II. That work of unity is never finished; we must begin it again in every generation.”
Describing Türkiye as “a mosaic of religions and philosophies,” Bishop Bizzeti outlined the diversity that characterises its spiritual landscape. “Here you find political Islam, traditional Islam, the mystical Sufi current, the Alevi tradition, and growing numbers of agnostics and deists,” he noted. “And alongside them, small yet vibrant Christian communities.”
He lamented, however, the structural and legal challenges faced by the Catholic Church in Türkiye. “The freedom to build new chapels, youth centres, or cultural spaces remains limited,” he said. “Our pastoral work happens within a handful of parishes, many established over a century ago under the Treaty of Lausanne. Yet, despite the constraints, the Church remains alive and engaged.”
Reflecting on the 2023 earthquake that devastated southern Türkiye and northern Syria, Bishop Bizzeti spoke with emotion about the humanitarian mission of Caritas Türkiye which provided relief amid immense loss and suffering.
“The real toll was far greater than the official figures,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands were displaced. It was a moment that tested our humanity and yet, it brought people together.”
As President of Caritas Türkiye during that crisis, Bishop Bizzeti witnessed how faith-based organizations bridged long-standing divides. “We worked shoulder to shoulder Christians, Muslims, volunteers of all backgrounds. That was the truest form of interreligious dialogue: the dialogue of life, of compassion, and of shared service to the poor,” he said.
The organization’s efforts earned unprecedented recognition from Turkish authorities. “For the first time, Caritas Türkiye was officially thanked in Ankara for its humanitarian contribution proof that charity knows no boundaries,” he added.
For the men and women of Caritas Türkiye, the Pope’s visit represents a deeply personal moment of affirmation. “This apostolic journey will remind all of us that we are part of one people the People of God united in service and compassion,” Bishop Bizzeti said. “It will strengthen our mission to stand beside the weakest and most forgotten, as Jesus Himself did.”
As Türkiye prepares to welcome Pope Leo XIV, the anticipation is palpable not only among the Christian community but also among interfaith circles that see in the visit a renewed opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation.
“The Holy Father’s presence,” Bishop Bizzeti concluded, “will remind the world that bridges of peace are built not through power or politics, but through encounter, humility, and love the very heart of Vatican II’s message.”