Pope Leo Begins First Overseas Trip with Strong Message Against Religious Violence

Pope Leo met with Christian leaders from across the Middle East on Friday, using the gathering to denounce religiously motivated violence. The meeting, held during his first overseas trip as head of the Catholic Church, marked the 1,700th anniversary of a historic Church council in Iznik, the former Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed originated. Addressing senior clerics from countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Syria, and Israel, Popw Leo described the ongoing lack of Christian unity as a continuing concern.

“Today, the whole of humanity, afflicted by violence and conflict, is crying out for reconciliation,” he said. He added, “We must strongly reject the use of religion for justifying war, violence, or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism,” urging “fraternal encounter, dialogue and cooperation.”

The ceremony featured prayers in multiple languages and a candle-lighting ritual near the submerged ruins of a fourth-century basilica, forming the focal point of Leo’s four-day visit to Turkey. Pope Leo, relatively new to international attention since his election in May, is being observed closely as he delivers his first major speeches abroad.

Christian divisions dating back to the 1054 East-West Schism and later conflicts such as the Protestant Reformation formed part of Pope Leo’s reflections. He told attending clerics that unity could offer “a message of peace and universal fraternity that transcends the boundaries of our communities and nations”.

Pope Leo also met with Turkey’s small Catholic community and encouraged a focus on supporting migrants. His trip includes visits to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and Lebanon, where concerns over regional conflict and refugee pressures are shaping expectations for his message of peace.