This November, Pope Leo will make his first international journey — to Turkey — where the Church is commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The visit fulfills the dream of Pope Francis, who had long desired to come to Nicaea before his passing.
Bishop Massimiliano Palinuro, Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul, describes the anticipation among Turkey’s small Catholic community: “We await him with a filial heart and with immense joy. Our community awaits the arrival of Pope Leo XIV with open arms and hearts, ready to welcome him as a sign of hope and unity.”
The Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD, remains a cornerstone of Christian faith, affirming the shared belief in Jesus Christ as Son of God and Saviour. For Christians in Turkey, the anniversary is not only historical but deeply spiritual. Bishop Palinuro explains:
“This anniversary is perceived by our Christians as a sign of hope for a return to the sources of faith and search for what is essential — what unites rather than what divides.”
Massimiliano Palinuro, Vicar Apostolic of Istanbul (Vicariate Apostolic of Istanbul), Turkey.
At recent ecumenical gatherings, Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants discovered themselves speaking the same faith in the same words. “We all feel like heirs of the same Tradition of Faith,” Bishop Palinuro notes. “Faith in Jesus is what makes us Christians.”
Preparations for the papal visit are underway, including restoration of Constantine’s Palace at Lake Nicaea, where the ecumenical celebration will take place. Bishop Palinuro highlights the significance:
“Too often throughout the centuries, divisions have been used as a pretext to justify wars and persecutions. Now the world needs to see in Christians a sign of unity for the human family.”
Relations between the Catholic community and the Ecumenical Patriarchate are strong. “Here in Istanbul, ecumenical relations are definitely much stronger than anywhere else in the world,” Bishop Palinuro affirms.
He recalls the legacy of Pope John XXIII and Patriarch Athenagoras, who opened the doors to reconciliation: “Perhaps it is providential that precisely here, where the great division began, the great reconciliation must also begin.”
Looking ahead, Bishop Palinuro echoes Pope Leo’s vision: “Together, we must look for ways to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming all those in need of our charity and love.”
ACN continues to support the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul with Mass stipends, language training, church renovations, and pastoral projects — ensuring this historic moment strengthens faith and fraternity at the crossroads of East and West.
