Pope Leo XIV Marks 1,700 Years of Nicaea Council in Türkiye

Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican, on Friday took part in events commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea in the Iznik district of Türkiye’s northwestern province of Bursa.

As part of his visit to Türkiye, which first included meetings in Ankara and Istanbul, the pontiff travelled to Iznik for the commemorative ceremony, The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.

Calling the anniversary a valuable opportunity, Pope Leo underlined the council’s enduring significance for Christianity.

He said that in a world scarred by violence and conflict, people everywhere are calling for peace and reconciliation, emphasizing that religion should never be used to justify war, violence or any form of extremism or fanaticism.

The pope also expressed gratitude to Patriarch Bartholomew for initiating the commemoration and conveyed messages of unity, reconciliation and peace.

Following his program in Iznik, the pope was set to return to Istanbul before departing for Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Sunday.