Istanbul: As Pope Leo XIV begins the first leg of his maiden Apostolic Journey in Türkiye, renewed attention is falling on the country’s small yet steadily expanding Catholic community. Though Türkiye remains overwhelmingly Muslim accounting for nearly 99% of the population it also hosts vibrant Christian and Jewish minorities whose roots run deep in the nation’s history.
In a conversation with Vatican News journalist Christopher Wells, reporting from Istanbul, Vincentian priest Fr. Alexander Jernej, CM, offered a detailed look into the life of Catholics in the country. Fr. Jernej, who belongs to the Austrian-German province of the Congregation of the Mission, currently leads the Austrian St. George community in Istanbul. He describes a diverse Catholic population made up of numerous cultural and ethnic backgrounds, each contributing to the character of the Church in Türkiye.
What encourages him most, he says, is the gradual rise in the number of Turkish Catholics. Calling it “a great joy,” Fr. Jernej notes that witnessing growth within the local Church is a powerful sign of hope for a community that remains a numerical minority.
Türkiye, a secular republic since the 1924 constitutional reform, recognizes no official state religion. Its Christian population estimated at around 100,000 people is spread across various denominations, including Catholics, Protestants, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Assyrian-Chaldean communities. Despite denominational differences, ecumenical relations remain warm and active. According to Fr. Jernej, the churches in Istanbul maintain close contact, regularly visiting one another and jointly observing the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is celebrated over eight full days in the city.
With Pope Leo XIV now in Türkiye, excitement is running high among the faithful. The pontiff is expected to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, other patriarchs, and members of the local Catholic community. Fr. Jernej says the upcoming encounters are being greeted with profound enthusiasm. “We are very excited, and we’re looking forward to this great occasion,” he remarks.
Pope Leo XIV follows a long line of papal engagement with Türkiye. Four popes Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006, and Francis in 2014 have previously visited Istanbul. The city also holds historical significance as the place where Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, later Pope John XXIII, served as Apostolic Delegate to Türkiye and Greece between 1935 and 1944.
As the Pope’s journey begins, Türkiye’s Catholic minority hopes his presence will not only affirm their faith but also further strengthen bonds across Christian traditions in the heart of a predominantly Muslim nation.