Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan formally welcomed Pope Leo XIV at the Presidential Complex in Ankara during the pontiff’s visit to Türkiye. A cavalry escort led the Pope to the entrance, where the two leaders met before national anthems were played and a 21-gun salute was fired.
Pope Leo XIV greeted the Guard of Honor with “Hello, Soldiers,” as flags and soldiers representing 16 historic Turkic states took part in the ceremony. Erdoğan and the Pope introduced their delegations, posed for photographs, and then held a private meeting. Bilateral and delegation-level talks will continue at the Presidential Library’s Cihannüma Hall.