Pope Leo XIV set off for his first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon on Thursday, arriving in Ankara for the first leg of his visit at 12:22 p.m. (0922 GMT).

A military guard of honor was there to welcome the pope on the tarmac of Ankara's Esenboga Airport. He was received by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy along with other officials and senior church figures from Turkey.

Pope describes trip as 'historic moment'

The trip is being seen as an opportunity to strengthen relations between those of the Christian and Muslim faith.

"I have very much been looking forward to this trip because of what it means for Christians, but it is also a great message to the whole world," Leo told reporters travelling with him on his plane, ahead of his arrival in Ankara, describing it as a "historic moment."

The primary focus is to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea — Christianity's first ecumenical council that produced the Nicene Creed — that is still used by most of the world's Christians today.

"It's a very important trip because we do not know much yet about Leo's geopolitical views, and this is the first big chance for him to make them clear," Massimo Faggioli, an Italian academic who follows the Vatican, told the Reuters news agency.

What's on Pope Leo's travel itinerary

The first stop for Pope Leo was at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who founded the Turkish Republic based on secular values in 1923.

The pope then visited the Presidential Palace in Ankara, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Pope Leo called on Turkey to embrace its role as a global mediator during talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, saying the country could help amid multiple international crises.

"Mr President, may Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace," the pontiff said after his meeting with Erdogan.

"Today more than ever, we need people who will promote dialogue and practice it, with firm will and patient resolve," Leo added, pointing to Turkey’s expanding diplomatic role in mediation efforts related to Gaza, Ukraine and other conflicts.

Leo will then travel to Istanbul to see the Blue Mosque and where, according to Vatican News, he will spend the remainder of his time in Turkey.

Asgin Tunca — a Blue Mosque imam who will receive the pope — said the visit would help Christian-Muslim ties and dispel prejudices about Islam.

"We want to reflect that image by showing the beauty of our religion through our hospitality, that is God's command," Tunca said.

The pope will not be visiting the landmark Hagia Sophia monument in Istanbul as previous popes have done.

The Hagia Sophia —  once a symbol of secular Turkey and formerly a 6th-century Christian church during the Byzantine Empire and then a museum under Ataturk — was reconverted into a mosque by Erdogan's government.

Papal visits over the years

Both Turkey and Lebanon have received multiple pontiffs, starting with Pope Paul VI, who was the first to travel abroad in 1964.

Pope Francis had for years tried to visit Lebanon, but the country's instability and his health issues prevented a visit.

Monsignor Cesar Essayan, the apostolic vicar of Beirut for Latin rite Catholics, said Lebanon was the safest place in the region for Leo to visit and the perfect place for him to speak about peace.

Security is expected to be tight as regional conflicts continue. Israel launched strikes on Beirut on Sunday that killed Hezbollah's chief of staff and four others.

Edited by: Sean Sinico