Pope Visits Turkey, Warns Against the “Tyranny of a Single Color”
Pope Leo XIV, on his first foreign visit since assuming the papacy in May, called on Turkey to act as a stabilizing and bridging force among peoples during what he described as a period of intense global conflict. At the same time, he warned against the “tyranny of a single color,” cautioning that it could impoverish Turkey’s diversity.
The Pope made these remarks in a speech addressed to officials, civil society members, and diplomats at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. He emphasized that Turkey, due to its geographic location and cultural and religious diversity, serves as a “natural bridge between East and West and a meeting point of civilizations.”
He stressed that dominance by a single group or identity could harm Turkish pluralism, asserting that “society can only thrive through diversity,” and called for respect for the dignity of all people, including women, foreigners, and the poor.
Accompanying the Pope on this trip are over 80 journalists, reflecting the significant media attention surrounding the first international visit of the new pontiff, who is also the first American to lead the Catholic Church in history.
Politically, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pope Leo XIV held a bilateral meeting at the Presidential Complex, followed by an expanded delegation-level meeting attended by senior Turkish officials, including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Erdoğan praised the Pope’s stance on the Palestinian issue and expressed hope that humanity would benefit from the Pope’s first international visit amid global tensions and uncertainty.
In a speech delivered before the Pope and political and religious leaders at the presidential library in Ankara, Erdoğan said: “We commend Pope Leo’s insightful stance on the Palestinian issue.” He added: “We owe it to the Palestinian people to achieve justice, based on the immediate implementation of the two-state solution along the 1967 borders. Preserving the historical status of Jerusalem is also of utmost importance.” He further noted that Pope Leo’s calls for peace and diplomacy regarding the war in Ukraine are highly significant.
