Pope Benedict XVI described his recent four-day trip to Türkiye as a deeply meaningful experience, telling thousands of faithful gathered at Saint Peter's Square during his Sunday Angelus blessing that he hoped the journey would yield lasting results for interfaith relations.
The visit carried particular weight, coming only 10 weeks after the pontiff sparked widespread Muslim anger over remarks that many interpreted as linking Islam to violence. The trip became a notable gesture of reconciliation.
Benedict, 79, made a widely noted symbolic move when he stood in silent prayer alongside Muslims inside Istanbul's Blue Mosque, facing in the direction of Mecca.
He also held meetings with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of roughly 150 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. The pope called the nearly thousand-year-old split between the Catholic and Orthodox churches a scandal, expressing hope for closer cooperation among all Christian denominations.
The pope thanked Turkish officials and citizens for their hospitality and singled out the Catholic community living in Türkiye for special recognition. The trip marked his first visit to a Muslim-majority country as pope.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in December 2006, in its own words.