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Pope prays for unity at historic Christian site in Turkey

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November 28, 2025

Pope Leo has condemned religious violence and called for unity alongside Christian leaders in Turkey. The pontiff was speaking at a place where the first uniform doctrine of the Christian faith was created.

Pope Leo XIV began his first international trip in Istanbul, greeted by crowds at a local cathedral. He urged Turkey's small Catholic community to embrace its role and praised outreach to migrants, including millions of Syrian refugees. Later, in Iznik, he joined Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to mark 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea, calling for Christian unity and rejecting the use of religion to justify violence.

Melissa Kent Award-winning Canadian broadcast news and current affairs journalist
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