Pope joins patriarchs from East and West at historic Christian site in Turkey to pray for unity

Pope Leo XIV joined Eastern Orthodox and other Christian leaders Friday in a historic gathering at Turkey’s Lake Iznik, commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea that produced Christianity’s most widely accepted statement of faith.

Standing above ancient ruins recently uncovered by receding waters, the religious leaders jointly recited the Nicene Creed, which emerged from the original A.D. 325 council and remains central to Christian worship across denominations today.

“This creed is of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making toward full communion,” Pope Leo said during the ceremony. “We are all invited to overcome the scandal of the divisions that unfortunately still exist and to nurture the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life.”

The gathering marks the highlight of Leo’s visit to Turkey and represents a significant moment in the centuries-old effort toward Christian reunification. The Council of Nicaea occurred before the Great Schism of 1054 that divided Eastern and Western Christianity, making the creed a powerful symbol of their shared heritage.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, emphasized that their presence went beyond mere commemoration. “We are here to bear living witness to the same faith expressed by the fathers of Nicaea. We return to this wellspring of the Christian faith in order to move forward,” he said.

The service took place at the archaeological excavations of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos, believed to be located on the site of an earlier church that hosted the original council. Roman Emperor Constantine convened the gathering of bishops from across the Roman Empire in 325 after consolidating power following years of civil war.

Though Constantine wouldn’t formally convert to Christianity until his deathbed in 337, he had already begun showing favor toward the growing religious movement. The council was called to address theological disputes threatening church unity, resulting in the creed that begins: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty…”

The commemorative prayer service featured alternating Catholic and Orthodox hymns and included representatives from numerous Christian traditions, including Greek, Syrian, Coptic, Malankarese, Armenian, Protestant, and Anglican churches.

During his address, Pope Leo called on all Christians to “strongly reject the use of religion to justify war, violence, or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism,” emphasizing that “the paths to follow are those of fraternal encounter, dialogue and cooperation.”

The interfaith gathering faced a small protest in Iznik before Leo arrived. About 20 members of Turkey’s New Welfare Party briefly demonstrated, claiming the event threatened Turkey’s sovereignty and national identity. Under heavy police presence, party member Mehmet Kaygusuz read a statement condemning what he described as efforts to establish a “Vatican-like Greek Orthodox state” in Turkey.

Local reactions were mixed. Suleyman Bulut, a 35-year-old Iznik resident, welcomed the Christian pilgrims, acknowledging his town’s historical significance. “Muslims too should go and visit places that belong to us in the rest of the world, in Europe,” he said. Meanwhile, Hasan Maral, a 41-year-old shopkeeper, expressed discomfort: “The pope coming here feels contradictory to my faith.”

Earlier in the day, Leo encouraged Turkey’s small Catholic community during a visit to Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Catholics number just 33,000 in Turkey’s population of 85 million, which is predominantly Sunni Muslim.

“The logic of littleness is the church’s true strength,” the pope told an enthusiastic crowd that greeted him with shouts of “Papa Leo” and “Viva il Papa.” He highlighted the challenge of “welcoming and serving some of the most vulnerable” in reference to migrants and refugees in Turkey.

The pope’s schedule continues Saturday with further ecumenical meetings and a visit to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque before celebrating Mass at Volkswagen Arena. He will then travel to Lebanon on Sunday for the final leg of his journey.

This visit underscores the ongoing significance of the Nicene Creed as a unifying element across Christian denominations despite centuries of division, and represents one of the most substantial ecumenical gatherings in recent years at the historic site where Christianity’s foundational doctrines were first formalized.