Pope Leo arrives in Turkey, expected by Erdogan

Pope Leo is making his first trip abroad as leader of the Catholic Church, traveling on a six-day mission of peace and unity in Turkey and Lebanon in a programme that, according to the Vatican, is expected to be “in charge of”, filled with meetings of political and religious leaders at a time of increased tensions in the Middle East.

The Chicago-born pope arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, a majority Muslim country where some 36,000 Catholics live, writes The Guardian, broadcast the Express newspaper.

Leo first met with President Recep Tayip Erdoğan in Ankara. He is also expected to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 260 million Orthodox Christians in the world, for celebrations of the 1700th anniversary of an important early church council in Nikea, now unjustly, which resolved ideological disputes.

Leo's arrival is especially expected in Lebanon, where many fear a deepening conflict between Israel and Hezbollah following an Israeli attack earlier this week in a neighbourhood in southern Beirut that killed four Hezbollah operatives and one of the group's top military commanders.

Leo's predecessor, Francescu, who died in April, was scheduled to visit the two countries but failed to because of poor health.

Leo is considered more like a moderate and restrained figure than charismatic, but often divisive, and Turkey and Lebanon's choice of his first trip abroad is very strategic, while at the same time presents an opportunity for the pope to show the world his style and personality. /Periscope/