As he began his four-day trip to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

A statue of Pope Benedict XV outside Istanbul's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit where Leo attends prayers on Friday

Pope Leo XIV was invited by Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople to attend the service in Iznik, the site of ancient Nicaea

The service took place on the shores of Lake Iznik overlooking the remains of a 4th-century basilica marking the spot where the First Council …

Inside Istanbul's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Pope Leo XIV smiled, looking considerably more at ease as he greeted the faithful

Souvenirs are being sold in Turkey ahead of the pope's visit

Pope Leo XIV met Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the first overseas trip of his papacy