The Pope's visit to Türkiye is an opportunity to “revive” the spirit of the Second Vatican Council

Bishop Paolo Pizzetti, former apostolic vicar for Anatolia, speaks to Vatican News about the Pope's upcoming apostolic trip to Türkiye, a “mosaic” of different religious communities.

Written by Daniele Piccini

“In the months since the earthquake, we have worked side by side, tearing down the old walls of division and showing that the deepest form of interreligious dialogue, as Pope Francis used to say, is the dialogue of life, especially in service to the poor.”

Bishop Paolo Bizzetti, who served as President of Caritas Turkey from 2019 until just a few days ago, still cherishes this interfaith cooperation as one of the most meaningful experiences of his many years in the country.

The bishop, who served as Latin Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia from 2015 to 2024, knows the region well.

In an interview with Vatican News, he shared his thoughts and hopes ahead of Pope Leo

Bishop Paolo Bizzetti in the Rome studios of Vatican News

Vatican News: From November 27 to 30, Pope Leo XIV will make his first apostolic journey. He will go to Türkiye, where Christians constitute a small minority. In your opinion, how important is this visit to them?

Bishop Paolo Pizzetti: Visiting the flock in person and getting closer to the Good Shepherd is the goal of these papal trips. Turkey is a very important country, not only because of its past – Christianity as we know it was born in Antioch, on the Orontes River, in modern Turkey – but also because of the vitality of Christian life today. Turkey is a kind of laboratory, where even the Latin Church must be present, actively and humbly.

Question: The Pope will also commemorate the Council of Nicaea.

A: The Pope's visit is also a major ecumenical opportunity, and the memory of Nicaea will help revive the spirit that animated the Council Fathers: expressing the faith in new terms and categories, and striving for what unites, as Pope Saint John XXIII urged. This is a task that we must always begin again.

Q: What kind of religious landscape will Pope Leo encounter when he arrives?

A: Türkiye mosaic. There is political Islam, traditional religious Islam, Sufi mysticism, Alawite movement, agnosticism, or a kind of deism for many – and then, of course, significant Christian minorities. However, Catholic pastoral work is severely limited by laws and customs that make it difficult to build small churches, youth centers or cultural venues. Everything takes place within a few dioceses, created a century ago by the Treaty of Lausanne.

Pope Leo

Q: On February 6, 2023, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck the border areas between Syria and Turkey, causing, according to reports, more than 50,000 casualties. Caritas Türkiye's response, despite enormous difficulties, has been tremendous, committed and effective. How was the experience?

A: The real death toll is believed to be much higher, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. It was a colossal tragedy that exposed our human frailty, and its effects continue to cast a heavy shadow on the poorest communities. For us at Caritas, this was an experience that forced us to grow quickly – not without difficulties and mistakes. But we were very happy to make our contribution, to cooperate with local and national relief organizations, and to be formally recalled and thanked in Ankara. We have been recognized, something that has never happened before, as an organization that helps people selflessly, without discrimination. We, as Catholics, are proud to have made our small contribution, making good use of the aid that has generously arrived from the four corners of the earth.

Q: Does Caritas Türkiye’s work, which helps Muslims and Christians without discrimination, have a positive impact on relations between the two communities?

A: In the months after the earthquake, we worked side by side, tearing down the old walls of division and showing that the deepest form of interreligious dialogue, as Pope Francis used to say, is the dialogue of life, especially in service to the poor.

Q: What impact do you think the Pope’s apostolic visit will have on Caritas Turkey workers?

A: For all Caritas workers, this will be a beautiful occasion to feel part of God's people – united in service and care for the most vulnerable, as Christians have always been, following Jesus, servant of all.

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