LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV lands in Istanbul, concludes first day in Turkey

As Pope Leo XIV undertakes his apostolic journey, Bishop Gregory Mansour — who leads the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron in Brooklyn — reflects on the Jubilee Year and the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

His message: Unity among Christians is essential and urgent, and the Nicene Creed remains the bedrock of Christian faith and a summons to reconciliation among divided Christians.

Read the full commentary published by the National Catholic Register.

Pope Leo XIV’s first day in Turkey included honoring Atatürk in Ankara, to a private meeting with President Erdoğan, to the pontiff’s first address to national authorities.

The pope opened his first trip abroad with a strong appeal for peace, dialogue, and protection of religious minorities across the region.

EWTN News reporters on the ground in Turkey and Lebanon covering the historic first international trip of Pope Leo XIV were surprised by an unexpected bus passing in front of their shot of the Holy Father at Istanbul Ataturk airport.

The pope deboarded at the airport on the evening of Nov. 27, concluding the first day of his trip to Turkey.

The unexpected automobile intrusion thankfully didn’t spoil the upbeat mood at the airport.

Pope Leo XIV concluded the first day of his trip to Turkey landing in Istanbul after traveling from Ankara.

The Holy Father on the first day of his trip met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, spoke to Turkish officials, and visited Anıtkabir, a mausoleum complex containing the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey.

He also met with the head of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Safi Arpaguş, at the directorate’s headquarters.

Pope Leo XIV greeted an assembly of Turkish soldiers on Nov. 27 in their native language, saying “Merhaba, asker” (“Greetings, soldiers!”) during his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Holy Father was met with a resounding battle cry from the Turkish soldiers in response.

An image of the Virgin Mother is displayed where Pope Leo XIV sits aboard the papal plane.

The pope landed along with a team of journalists in Istanbul on the evening of Nov. 27.

The papal plane flew into Istanbul on the evening of Nov. 27 as Pope Leo XIV continued his first papal trip abroad.

The Holy Father will meet with members of the Turkish Catholic community in the ancient city.

A choir performed the mid-1990s gospel praise song “God Is Good All the Time” by composers Don Moen and Paul Overstreet for Pope Leo XIV during his meeting with leaders in Ankara on the first day of his apostolic trip.

The Holy Father visited with officials in Ankara before departing for Istanbul later in the day.

Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 27 offered wishes of a happy Thanksgiving to American journalists aboard the papal plane during his first trip abroad as Supreme Pontiff.

“It’s a wonderful day to celebrate,” the Holy Father, born in Chicago, told travelers aboard the plane.

The pope also received several Thanksgiving gifts from American journalists, including several pies.