In a remarkable development intertwining historical violence with contemporary diplomacy, Mehmet Ali Agca—the Turkish national who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981—has arrived in Iznik to welcome Pope Leo XIV. The pontiff is visiting Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea this Friday.
Agca, who nearly succeeded in killing John Paul II during the 1981 shooting in Vatican City, was subsequently pardoned by the very pontiff he attempted to murder. His criminal history extends beyond this infamous act, having murdered Milliyet newspaper’s editor-in-chief Abdi Ipekci in 1979, for which he initially evaded capture.
Through statements to the Turkish news agency DHA, Agca expressed his intention to personally greet the new pope during his inaugural foreign visit. “I say ‘welcome’ to the pope. I hope today or tomorrow in Iznik or Istanbul we can sit and talk for two or three minutes,” Agca told local media, adding, “We are happy to receive him as a guest, and we greatly value the Vatican’s contributions to world peace.”
In a series of controversial claims, Agca described his assassination attempt as part of a “divine plan” that the world misunderstood. He vehemently rejected being labeled a terrorist, instead directing that accusation toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he called a “satanic, Zionist monster.” Agca astonishingly claimed, “The Vatican agrees with me on this,” though no evidence supports this assertion.
Further complicating historical narratives, Agca alleged that NATO attempted to exploit his actions by falsely linking him to the Soviets, suggesting his role contributed to the downfall of the Soviet empire.
Following his capture after the assassination attempt, Agca received a life sentence in Italy before being extradited to Turkey in 2000, where he served additional time for Ipekci’s murder and armed robberies. His release in 2010 concluded nearly three decades of imprisonment.
Turkish intelligence agencies are reportedly monitoring Agca’s movements in Iznik as Pope Leo conducts his official visit, which began Thursday in Ankara with meetings President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The pontiff’s itinerary includes touring the submerged remains of an ancient basilica in Lake Iznik, believed to be the site where the Council of Nicaea convened in 325 CE—a seminal event that brought together Christian bishops to resolve foundational theological disputes. Pope Leo and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church are expected to jointly commemorate this historic anniversary.