Pope arrives in Turkey, hopes to improve ties with Orthodox, Muslims

Published: 2006-11-28

ANKARA, Turkey (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Turkey at the start of a challenging four-day pilgrimage aimed at improving ties with Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The pope's chartered Alitalia jet landed Nov. 28 in the capital, Ankara, and the pontiff was quickly escorted to a VIP airport lounge for a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Before departing from Rome, the pope told reporters on his plane that he considered the trip pastoral, not political. He said he hoped it would underline the value of dialogue in "this difficult moment in history." "The aim of this trip is dialogue, fraternity and the commitment to understanding between cultures, for an encounter of cultures and religions, for reconciliation," he said. The pope said he wanted in particular to promote dialogue between Christianity and Islam, and "with our Christian brothers and sisters, especially the Orthodox Church of Constantinople."

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .