Pope Leo XIV is in Turkiye and will be joined by the World Council of Churches general secretary, Rev. Jerry Pillay and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for a special anniversary in the Christian unity calendar

They are to join on Nov. 28 for an ecumenical prayer service in Nicaea – modern-day Iznik, in Türkiye – marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in the history of the church.

The ceremony marking this significant anniversary will take place at the archaeological site containing the ruins of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos in Nicaea, Bithynia.

The special commemoration is part of ecumenical efforts acknowledging divisions but seeking -- symbolically and practically -- to recover a sense of shared identity. For many, mourning the fractures and committing to dialogue and reconciliation may renew hope for unity.

Pope Leo kicked off his journey on Nov. 27 in Türkiye's Presidential Palace and then at the Nation's Library, where authorities, civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps gathered to hear the Pope's first words during his first Apostolic Journey abroad.

Addressing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pope Leo expressed gratitude for the warm welcome extended to him.

     - LINKED TO ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY

The Pope spoke of Türkiye as a land "inextricably linked to the origins of Christianity," yet also one that calls together all children of Abraham—Muslims, Christians, and Jews--to recognize difference not as division, but as a pathway to fraternity.

The Pope reflected on the natural beauty and rich cultural diversity of the country, describing them as reminders that human civilization flourishes where generations, ideas, and traditions meet.

The planned commemoration is more than symbolic: the intention is to gather leaders from multiple Christian traditions – not only Catholic and Orthodox, but also other Christian communities – in a prayerful gesture of unity, according to Vatican News.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate, who is based in Istanbul, expressed joy at the visit of Pope Leo to Türkiye, in response to the expressed wish and invitation of Bartholomew to commemorate together the historic 1700th anniversary.

Pope Leo XIV will visit Türkiye and Lebanon for his first foreign journey, calling the two countries "rich in history and spirituality," and asking for prayers during his last general audience on Nov. 26.

In addition to participating in the special ecumenical prayer, Pillay will speak on 29 November before heads of churches and Christian world communions on "What Nicaea means to us today: Sharing reflections and proposals."