Two peoples, two states to achieve peace in the Holy Land. That’s what Pope Leo XIV he reiterated firmly on the flight that took him from Türkiye to Lebanon, the second leg of his journey. For the Pontiff, this is and remains the main way to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: «The Holy See has been supporting this perspective for years; we know that it is not currently accepted by Israel, but it is the only solution that, in our opinion, can offer a concrete chance for peace».
The Pontiff did not speak in terms of condemnation or sides: We are also friends of Israel and we seek with the two parties to be a mediating voice that can help bring us closer to a solution with justice for all. I spoke about this with President Erdogan, he certainly agrees with this proposal. Turkey has an important role it could play in this.”
The judgment on Ukraine was also clear: «We hope that President Erdogan… can help promote dialogue, ceasefire and see how to resolve this war». A path already started in recent months, when Ankara facilitated the first contacts between Kiev and Moscow.
In front of the 81 journalists present on the papal flight, the Pontiff smiled, allowing a glimpse of the joy of these Turkish days: «I am happy to greet you, I hope you have had good days in Turkey like me. I think it was a wonderful experience.”
An intense journey, marked by ecumenical meetings, interreligious dialogue and a strong call for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine. The Pope expressed his gratitude to those who prepared the visit, starting with the nuncio and collaborators, but also the Turkish institutions: “I thank the government of Turkey, President Erdogan and the many people he made available… I think it was a great success.”
The first reason for the trip, the Holy Father recalled, was the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea: “We had a magnificent celebration, very simple, but also profound… to commemorate the great event of the agreement of the entire Christian community and the profession of faith.”
A celebration that found its culmination in the Divine Liturgy presided over on Sunday morning in Istanbul with Patriarch Bartholomew I on the feast of Saint Andrew: «It was a wonderful celebration. I hope you all have had the same experience.”
Speaking more generally about the country’s international role, Pope Leo XIV highlighted its ability, despite difficulties and contradictions, to be a bridge: «Turkey is a Muslim-majority country with numerous Christian communities. It is an example of what we are looking for in the world: beyond religious, ethnic and cultural differences, people can live in peace.”
The Pope also revealed a future horizon, born from the ecumenical conversation of Nicaea. “THEyesterday morning we talked about possible future meetings. One would be in the year 2033, two thousand years of the Redemption, of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ”.
A shared dream: «The idea was accepted… The possibility is to celebrate, for example, in Jerusalem in 2033 this great event of the Resurrection». A long journey, but one that has begun: a pilgrimage towards what unites Christians before what divides them.
