How the man who became Pope John XXIII helped shape Vatican-Turkey relations

Statue of St. John XXIII in the courtyard of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Istanbul. / Credit: Souhail Lawand/ACI MENA ACI MENA, Nov 26, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA). Pope Leo XIV’s journey to Turkey and Lebanon carries significant historical and diplomatic symbolism. His decision to make the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk his first stop immediately recalls the legacy of his predecessor, St. John XXIII, who became a cultural and spiritual bridge between East and West, very much like…