Vatican Releases Details for Pope Francis’ Trip to Turkey

The Holy Father will visit there from Nov. 28-30.

Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace during their meeting at the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem on May 25, 2014.
Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace during their meeting at the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem on May 25, 2014. (photo: apostolicpilgrimage.org/Nicholas Manginas)

VATICAN CITY — In response to an invitation sent by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Pope Francis will make a three-day trip to Turkey, during which he will visit the cities of Ankara and Istanbul.

Announced in September following the reception of an official letter of invitation signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the trip will take place Nov. 28-30, and falls just days after Pope Francis’ Nov. 25 address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The visit was largely made in response to an invitation sent to Pope Francis by Patriarch Bartholomew, asking him to participate in the celebration of the feast of St. Andrew, who is the founder of the Eastern Church and patron of the Orthodox world.

In stark contrast with his previous trips, usually packed with various liturgies, audiences and meetings with diverse groups of people, Pope Francis is keeping his schedule light, and will only give three public speeches, one being a homily for Mass on the second day of his trip.

After departing from Rome’s Fiumicino airport at 9am on Friday, Nov. 28, the Pope will fly directly to the Turkish capital of Ankara, where he will receive an official welcoming ceremony at the airport.

He will then make his way to the Atatürk Mausoleum, and afterwards will go to the presidential palace, where he will pay a courtesy visit to the Turkish president and hold an audience with local authorities. He will also visit that afternoon with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and its president of religious affairs, Mehmet Görmez.

The following day the Holy Father will travel by plane to Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, where he will visit the historic Hagia Sophia museum, which is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica that was later transformed into an imperial mosque.

He will then visit the neighboring Sultan Ahmet Mosque, which is also known as the “Blue Mosque” due to the blue tiles covering the inside.

After his visit to these two historically significant sites, the Pope will celebrate Mass in Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. He will then participate in an ecumenical prayer at the Patriarchal church of St. George, after which he will have a private encounter with His Holiness Bartholomew I.

On his final day in Turkey, Pope Francis will hold a private Mass in the morning before praying the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal church of St. George and signing a joint declaration with Bartholomew I.

After having lunch with the patriarch, Pope Francis will head back to Istanbul’s Atatürk airport, and will land at Rome’s Ciampino airport at 6:40 p.m.

 

Please see below for the full itinerary of Pope Francis’ visit to Turkey:

Friday, Nov. 28, 2014

9:00am: Depart by plane from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport

1:00pm: Arrive at Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport

Official Welcome

Visit to Atatürk Mausoleum

Presidential Palace: Welcoming Ceremony

Courtesy visit to the president of the Republic

Encounter with authorities

Audience with Turkey’s prime minister

Visit to the president of religious affairs at Diyanet

 

Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014

9:30am: Depart by plan from Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport

10:30am: Arrive at the international Atatürk Airport of Istanbul

Visit to the Hagia Sofia Museum

Visit to the Sultan Ahmet Mosque

Holy Mass in the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit

Ecumenical prayer in the Patriarchal Church of St. George

Private encounter with His Holiness Bartholomew I in the Patriarchal Palace

 

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014

Holy Mass in private in the Apostolic Delegation

Diving Liturgy in the Patriarchal Church of St. George

Ecumenical blessing and signing of the Joint Declaration

Lunch between Pope Francis and His Holiness Bartholomew I at the Ecumenical Patriarchate

4:45pm: Leave for the Atatürk Airport of Istanbul

5:00pm: Departure by plane from the international Atatürk Airport of Istanbul

6:40pm: Arrive at Rome’s Ciampino Airport