A high-level Vatican delegation arrived in Iznik, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s historic visit to Türkiye later this month.
The 38-member group, composed of priests and nuns, is reviewing the district’s heritage sites and making final preparations for the pontiff’s first overseas trip since assuming office.
Led by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope’s vicar general, the delegation also includes Special Secretary Dario Loi, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome Renato Tarantelli Baccari, and Sister Rebecca Romana Nazzaro, director of the Pilgrimage Pastoral Office at the Rome Vicariate.
Pope Leo XIV, head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican State, will visit Türkiye between Nov. 27 and 30, marking his first international journey. The trip will underscore interfaith dialogue, shared Christian heritage, and the deep historical ties linking Rome, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and Türkiye.
The highlight of the visit will be the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, one of early Christianity’s most important gatherings.
Convened in A.D. 325 in ancient Nicaea, today’s Iznik, the council unified Christian doctrine and established the Nicene Creed.
Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew I are expected to jointly commemorate the anniversary on Nov. 28 in Iznik.
The event is regarded as a significant gesture toward Catholic-Orthodox unity and a reflection of Türkiye’s diverse religious heritage.
Ahead of the papal visit, the Vatican delegation toured key religious and historical landmarks in Iznik, including the Iznik Basilica and the Hagia Sophia Mosque, both emblematic of the town’s layered past.
The group also held meetings with local officials to discuss restoration work, heritage preservation and preparations for the papal itinerary. Local representatives noted that Iznik, once a center of early Christianity and later an important Ottoman town, symbolizes the coexistence of faiths and civilizations.
Pope Leo XIV’s trip will mark the first papal visit to Türkiye since 2014 and is expected to bolster diplomatic and cultural ties between Ankara and the Vatican. Discussions during the visit are likely to focus on heritage cooperation, religious diplomacy and humanitarian issues.
