Pope Leo’s visit to Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea has triggered a strong backlash from many Turks, with critics accusing the Catholic leader of harboring political motives or seeking to revive the Crusades.
During his first official foreign trip, Pope Leo on Friday toured the remains of an ancient basilica submerged in Lake Iznik, believed to be the site where the Council of Nicaea convened in 325 CE.
One of early Christianity's most significant gatherings, the council brought together bishops from across the Christian world to resolve theological disputes that shaped the foundations of the religion's doctrines.
The Pope and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, jointly commemorated the anniversary by holding prayers in Iznik, which was known as Nicaea during the Roman era.
But the visit has drawn intense and often bizarre criticism from Turkish commentators, particularly secularist and nationalist politicians and pundits.
