In a significant ecumenical gesture, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to pray at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Istanbul on Sunday, demonstrating Vatican support for Christian minorities in Turkey and potentially advancing normalization efforts between Turkey and Armenia. The visit occurs against the backdrop of historical tensions stemming from the early 20th-century mass killings of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey—recognized as genocide by most historians but persistently denied by Turkish authorities, who attribute the deaths to civil unrest.
The pontiff’s itinerary follows the footsteps of predecessors Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, all of whom visited the same cathedral during their respective trips to Istanbul. Approximately 500 Armenian worshippers are expected to attend the service, which will feature traditional prayers, speeches from both Pope Leo and Patriarch Sahak II, and the unveiling of a commemorative marble stone.
Observers note that while Pope Francis previously ignited diplomatic friction by explicitly using the term ‘genocide’ during his 2015 Armenia visit, Pope Leo is anticipated to avoid such controversial language. This diplomatic caution aligns with ongoing bilateral efforts to reconcile Turkey and Armenia, which have maintained closed borders and absent formal diplomatic relations since the 1990s.
Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, emphasized the symbolic and political weight of the visit: ‘More than just the symbolic importance of bringing the Vatican closer to the Armenian Church… (the visit) is also, in some ways, promoting Armenia-Turkish normalization.’
The context is further complicated by regional geopolitics, including Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and recent Vatican-Azerbaijan cooperation agreements that have concerned Armenian communities. Despite these tensions, the Vatican is reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to secure the release of Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan.
Armenian communities have expressed mixed reactions to the visit, with some viewing it as an honorable recognition of their heritage and others questioning its practical impact on Turkey’s stance regarding historical atrocities. The event underscores the delicate balance between religious symbolism, historical acknowledgment, and contemporary diplomatic maneuvering in a region marked by enduring divisions.