The Pope's Love for Iznik, The Ecumenical Cause

Approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide identify as Catholic. As part of Catholicism, one of the three main branches of Christianity, Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of these people and Head of the Vatican City State, recently completed his special visit to Turkey and departed our country. There are differing figures regarding the number of Christians living in Turkey. This number varies between 100,000 and 200,000 people, the majority of whom belong to different Orthodox churches. Pope Leo XIV, elected during the Papal Election in May, thus made his first official foreign trip to Turkey.

Interestingly, Pope Leo XIV, for some reason, made his first foreign trip to our country after his election. Let's say he was welcome and left welcome. A ceremony was held in Iznik, and he attended this ceremony. This essentially signalled a first for Turkish soil. The Pope will continue to visit other countries and carry out his foreign trips after visiting us. What can we say, may his path be clear.

Although the Pope's visit actually began in Ankara on 27 November, the focus of his visit to Turkey was this ceremony held in Iznik. Here, the Pope celebrated the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, which was convened in 325 AD, together with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and other Christian religious leaders.

This visit to Iznik was planned by Pope Francis, who passed away in April, but the memorial ceremony was postponed after his death. The visit was Pope Leo XIV's destiny. The district of Iznik, located in the Marmara region, had never received such special attention! But it did cross all our minds to wonder where this sudden interest came from!

Why did the Pope come to Iznik, why did he want to come? Let's take a look at the visible side of this visit, which concerns us!

According to written records, at the first Council of Iznik in 325 AD, attended by over 300 Christian clergy, it was accepted that the Prophet Jesus was a person of ‘divine’ nature, The doctrine of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit), which would later cause a split with other denominations, was also established at Nicene. Today, with the exception of a few small groups, the entire Christian world (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) recognises the importance of this council. Despite their differences in belief, they see Nicaea as an important starting point for themselves, a cornerstone of Christianity. Historians say that the First Council of Nicaea, the “common ground of all churches”, was the first “ecumenical”, or universal, council of Christianity.

This is why Pope Leo XIV came to Nicaea to hold a collective service and address the Christian world from this important settlement. This grand service took place last Friday and was broadcast live to the whole world, emphasising Nicaea. I do not wish to attach any meaning to the fact that this service coincided with or was brought forward to Friday, but I cannot help saying that there must be a reason for it.

According to media reports, representatives from around 20 Christian communities and a large number of Christians attended this gathering. The ceremony, described by the Vatican as an ‘ecumenical prayer meeting,’ took place in front of the ruins of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos, believed to be the site of the First Council. The slogan had been decided in advance. The phrase ‘One Lord, one faith, one baptism’ was prominently featured throughout the ceremony.

The shadow of Russia's war in Ukraine, and particularly Moscow's unwillingness to engage in dialogue with other Orthodox churches on equal terms, fell over the Iznik gathering. Meanwhile, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople participated in this important religious ceremony “representing” the Orthodox world, despite Moscow. I do not know whether this participation is a challenge to the Kremlin, but I am sure that the truth will soon come out.

In an interview after taking office, Pope Leo XIV said he saw this planned Iznik meeting as the right opportunity to try to revive the institution of ecumenism.

Deep wounds, great divisions and reform in the Christian world

Since the birth of Christianity, divisions have occurred over time due to differences in beliefs, giving rise to different groups. However, despite sharing the same faith, the divisions that occurred for theological and political reasons caused deep wounds in the Christian world. The new Pope is not expected to seek to eliminate these divisions, but his meeting with the leader of another major denomination in Turkey, the Orthodox Church, carries many messages.

Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism are the three major denominations of Christianity. Numerous different churches and denominations have also emerged in connection with these denominations. The purpose of the Council of Nicaea, led by Leo XIV, was nothing more than to bring together the main denominations of the Christian world, which had excommunicated each other, with the encouragement and coercion of the United States today, and to announce this to the whole world as a show.

The subtle difference between looking and seeing is important. Looking refers to witnessing, while seeing refers to depth. Looking is done only with the eyes, while seeing is a joint function involving the mind, heart, and eyes. Looking is an eye movement, while seeing is a conscious activity. So let me describe what I saw.

The celebrants wore something resembling the Illuminati robes we recognise from film scenes. As you know, the Illuminati is one of the world's largest conspiracy theories, believed to have been active in opposing the domination of religion over daily life. Whether there is a connection between Catholics and the Illuminati is unknown, but a connection seems to have been established through the robes.

Some of us also attended the ceremony in Iznik. Among them were Muslims we knew who couldn't hold back their tears, who were crying, who were moved. I laugh at our tearful state. My beautiful country, my Turkey, is like a theatre stage. Everyone has put on their mask and is playing their role beautifully. Minds are wandering; let those who have found them inform their owners.

And what was that welcoming scene?

Before the ceremony to be held in the area where the remains of a sunken basilica, which emerged in 2014 with the receding waters of Lake Iznik in Bursa and was determined to have been built in the name of Saint Neophytos, Pope Francis was officially welcomed in Ankara by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. His Holiness was welcomed with a hymn similar to ‘Tala'al Bedru Aleyna,’ which was recited during the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) migration to Medina. President Erdoğan and Pope Leo XIV reacted to the discomfort expressed by those who were disturbed by the playing of the Tala'al Bedru Aleyna hymn before the Civil Society and Diplomatic Corps Meeting. Meanwhile, according to some, the political sun had risen on someone, and the sun of hope was shining. The Pope left, but the wind continued to blow for a while longer.