Pope Francis arrives in Ankara at start of his visit to Turkey
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis’ plane has touched down at Ankara airport at the start of his three day pastoral journey to Turkey. His visit to the cities of Ankara and Istanbul comes in response to invitations from the Turkish government and from the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians.
The Pope’s engagements in Ankara include meetings with Turkey’s government leaders and with the nation’s senior Muslim cleric. He then travels to Istanbul where he will meet Patriarch Bartholomew for talks and is also due to sign a joint declaration with him.