Reporter's Notebook: Thanksgiving weekend in Turkey with an American pope, next stop Lebanon

Early connected Sunday, we learned the Vatican’s chartered Airbus 320, which had ferried Pope Leo XIV, his entourage and 80 journalists to Turkey connected Thanksgiving Day, was harmless for question aft its bundle had been successfully updated. 

Our formation to Lebanon is on. Hallelujah!

I person been connected astir a twelve papal trips arsenic a Fox News newsman and producer, but 4 days into Pope Leo’s archetypal planetary pilgrimage — this 1 takes the barroom ... oregon possibly a notation to a pastry is much appropriate? Is this peace-pilgrimage travel to the Middle East conscionable pastry successful the sky?

We surely had pies successful the entity connected the formation from Rome. I was seated adjacent to a workfellow who brought a pecan pastry (which smelled divine, nary pun intended) and down 2 who talented our Chicago-born pope home-baked pumpkin pies. Pope Leo was implicit the moon! Our Thanksgiving repast was little breathtaking but appreciated, served with a menu, existent silverware and cloth napkins.

POPE LEO XIV BEGINS LEBANON VISIT AMID ECONOMIC CRISIS, HEIGHTENED SECURITY CONCERNS

Pope Leo XIV is welcomed by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his woman Nehmat Nehmeh upon accomplishment astatine Rafic Hariri International Airport, during his archetypal apostolic journey, successful Beirut, Lebanon, Nov. 30, 2025. (Mohammed Yassin/Reuters)

Fast-forward to Saturday night, aft 3 long, action-packed days, astatine a 4,000-strong Mass successful Istanbul for the country’s minuscule Catholic assemblage (over a cardinal Christians, particularly Armenians, were wiped retired successful World War I by the Ottoman Empire. Now, astir of the country’s 85 cardinal radical are Sunni Muslim. Catholics are a specified 0.2% of the population.)

At mass, I sat adjacent to my workfellow Elise Harris, the archetypal to beryllium granted an interrogation with Pope Leo (he chose a woman, and an American, however chill is that!) and baker of 1 of those beauteous pumpkin pies.  As Pope Leo walked down a broadside aisle adjacent america successful a unreality of incense, helium gave america an astir imperceptible motion and blessed america with the motion of the cross. Amazing!

During the homily, the pope returned to the themes of bid and unity, the precise aforesaid helium emphasized connected Thursday successful Turkey’s capital, Ankara, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and again connected Friday successful Istanbul with Jewish spiritual leaders and aboriginal that time successful Iznik, erstwhile helium joined Orthodox patriarchs and ecumenical leaders to commemorate the 1,700th day of the Council of Nicaea. 

After that gathering and supplication with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual person of the world’s Orthodox Christians, helium signed a associated declaration successful a amusement of Christian unity.

But the Pope besides spoke of the request for unity with non-Christians. "We unrecorded successful a satellite wherever religion is excessively often utilized to warrant wars and atrocities," helium said. "We request to admit what unites us, breaking down the walls of prejudices and mistrust ... to go peacemakers."

POPE LEO XIV OPENS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP IN TURKEY WITH A VISIT TO CHRISTIANITY’S EARLY HEARTLAND

One antheral not invited to conscionable the pope successful Iznik was Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish nationalist who changeable and severely wounded Pope John Paul II successful Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square successful 1981. Agca was released from situation successful 2010 aft completing his sentences successful Italy and Turkey and present lives successful Iznik. He has ne'er explained his motive for the assassination attempt, but Turkish media quoted him arsenic saying helium hoped to conscionable Leo "for 2 oregon 3 minutes." Instead, helium was escorted retired of town. 

Sometimes past repeats itself.

Back successful 2006, I came to Istanbul for Fox News Radio to screen Pope Benedict XVI’s conciliatory sojourn aimed astatine quelling the convulsive uproar implicit comments helium had made successful a code successful Germany, successful which helium quoted a Byzantine emperor saying Islam was dispersed done "the sword."

It was a large woody erstwhile Benedict was seen successful the Blue Mosque, the country’s astir important Muslim spot of worship, with his caput bowed and lips moving. I retrieve my Reuters workfellow excitedly yelling retired successful the property room, "The pope is praying!" Well, yes, helium mightiness beryllium doing that, I thought — but however to explicate its value successful a 30-second audio clip? 

In 2014, Pope Francis besides visited the Blue Mosque and openly prayed. So it was earthy to presume that our caller pope would bash the same. The Vatican property bureau adjacent said successful its regular communiqué helium had. 

But we 'vaticanisti" were wrong the Blue Mosque connected Saturday morning, having near our shoes astatine the entranceway and enactment connected a headscarf, and saw determination were intelligibly nary pauses!

Later, the property spokesperson Matteo Bruni clarified that the pope had visited the mosque "in silence, successful the tone of reflection and listening, with profound respect for the spot and the religion of those gathered present successful prayer." 

That statement of a tone of "reflection and listening with respect for others" does so seizure the essence of this Midwestern 70-year-old. 

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His archetypal words aft being chosen to pb the world's 1.4 cardinal Catholics and thrust onto the world's signifier six months agone were, "Peace beryllium with you." 

But it's inactive excessively aboriginal to spot however his connection of unity and the brotherhood of antheral volition resonate successful the conflict-ridden Middle East.