Pope Leo Sends Greetings to Karekin II During Visit to Armenian Church in Istanbul

Pope Leo XIV visited the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Istanbul on November 30, where he prayed and delivered a message focused on unity, Christian history, and renewed dialogue between churches.

According to Vatican News, the Pope sent warm greetings to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, as well as to the Armenian Apostolic community living in Turkey. During his message, he thanked God “for the courageous Christian witness that the Armenian people have shown throughout history, often in tragic circumstances.”

The Pope also reflected on the long timeline of cooperation between the two churches. He recalled that the first joint declaration between a Pope and an Armenian Catholicos was made in May 1970, when Pope Paul VI and Catholicos Vazgen I signed a historic document. As he noted, “Since then, by the grace of God, the dialogue of love between our Churches has blossomed.”

Pope Leo XIV said that his visit carries special meaning this year, as the Church marks the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. He explained that the Nicene Creed is a reminder of the early unity between the Eastern and Western churches, a unity the Christian world still hopes to rebuild.

He also expressed hope that official talks between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches could restart soon. He said he wished for progress by the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue, adding that both sides continue to work toward full communion.

During his message, the Pope showed Saint Nerses Shnorhali, the 12th-century Catholicos of the Armenian Church, praising his lifelong commitment to church reconciliation and his efforts to fulfill Christ’s prayer “that they may all be one.”

International media outlets noted that the Pope’s stop in Istanbul, while deeply symbolic for Christian unity, may also carry wider meaning. Some reports suggested that this visit could signal quiet support for ongoing attempts to improve relations between Turkey and Armenia, two nations shaped by “mass killings and decades of mistrust.”

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