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| Pope Francis in Turkey to boost faith ties | Pope Francis in Turkey to boost faith ties |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pope Francis is in Turkey for what is described as a historic visit to promote religious dialogue. | Pope Francis is in Turkey for what is described as a historic visit to promote religious dialogue. |
| At the start of his three-day trip he is to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The Pope is due to travel to Istanbul to meet the head of the Orthodox Christian church. | At the start of his three-day trip he is to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The Pope is due to travel to Istanbul to meet the head of the Orthodox Christian church. |
| This is only the fourth visit by a pope to Muslim-majority Turkey. | This is only the fourth visit by a pope to Muslim-majority Turkey. |
| During his trip, Pope Francis is likely to touch on humanitarian issues, such as the plight of Syrian refugees. | During his trip, Pope Francis is likely to touch on humanitarian issues, such as the plight of Syrian refugees. |
| The visit comes as Islamic State insurgents have captured swathes of neighbouring Iraq and Syria. | The visit comes as Islamic State insurgents have captured swathes of neighbouring Iraq and Syria. |
| Turkey is now home to at least 1.6 million people from Syria, most of them living close to the border. | Turkey is now home to at least 1.6 million people from Syria, most of them living close to the border. |
| In an interview on the eve of his visit, the Pope made his feelings on the Syrian conflict known, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Ankara notes. | In an interview on the eve of his visit, the Pope made his feelings on the Syrian conflict known, the BBC's Mark Lowen in Ankara notes. |
| Mark Lowen, BBC News, Ankara | Mark Lowen, BBC News, Ankara |
| Islam was sidelined from the constitutionally secular Turkish republic founded in 1923. But as a nation state was formed here, the religion became part of Turkish national identity, something that has sharply accelerated under Mr Erdogan's leadership. | Islam was sidelined from the constitutionally secular Turkish republic founded in 1923. But as a nation state was formed here, the religion became part of Turkish national identity, something that has sharply accelerated under Mr Erdogan's leadership. |
| New mosques are flourishing, while the world-famous Halki Orthodox Christian theological school near Istanbul has remained closed since 1971 under Turkish nationalist pressure. | New mosques are flourishing, while the world-famous Halki Orthodox Christian theological school near Istanbul has remained closed since 1971 under Turkish nationalist pressure. |
| One of the remaining Greeks of Turkey, Fotis Benlisoy, says the community feels squeezed: "The threatening feeling for non-Muslim minorities here is coming again." | One of the remaining Greeks of Turkey, Fotis Benlisoy, says the community feels squeezed: "The threatening feeling for non-Muslim minorities here is coming again." |
| Anxious times for Turkey's Christians | Anxious times for Turkey's Christians |
| The pontiff told an Israeli newspaper that the persecution of Christians in the region is "the worst" it has been since Christianity's earliest days. | The pontiff told an Israeli newspaper that the persecution of Christians in the region is "the worst" it has been since Christianity's earliest days. |
| Vatican officials say religious tolerance will be high on the agenda when the Pope meets President Erdogan - whose AK Party is rooted in political Islam - and Mehmet Gormez, Turkey's top cleric. | Vatican officials say religious tolerance will be high on the agenda when the Pope meets President Erdogan - whose AK Party is rooted in political Islam - and Mehmet Gormez, Turkey's top cleric. |
| The Pope's first stop is Turkey's new presidential palace in Ankara, making him the first dignitary to visit the lavish 1,000-room building. | The Pope's first stop is Turkey's new presidential palace in Ankara, making him the first dignitary to visit the lavish 1,000-room building. |
| According to Hurriyet newspaper, the Pope - who is renowned for his humble lifestyle - requested a "modest car" for his trip. He was picked up at the airport by a black Volkswagen saloon. | According to Hurriyet newspaper, the Pope - who is renowned for his humble lifestyle - requested a "modest car" for his trip. He was picked up at the airport by a black Volkswagen saloon. |
| In Istanbul, Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Istanbul's Sultan Ahmed mosque, the 17th-Century place of worship popularly known as the Blue Mosque. | In Istanbul, Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Istanbul's Sultan Ahmed mosque, the 17th-Century place of worship popularly known as the Blue Mosque. |
| He is also due to sign a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians, on trying to bridge the divides between Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. | He is also due to sign a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians, on trying to bridge the divides between Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. |
| Although most of Turkey's 80 million citizens are Muslims, there are about 120,000 Christians in the country - once the centre of the Orthodox Christian world. | Although most of Turkey's 80 million citizens are Muslims, there are about 120,000 Christians in the country - once the centre of the Orthodox Christian world. |
| Turkish media on Pope's visit | Turkish media on Pope's visit |
| Turkish media seems most concerned with the security arrangements for the Pope's visit. Postauses the headline "Martial law" to describe heavy security in Ankara and Istanbul. | |
| Other papers take a more neutral tone and talk about his agenda, with some anticipation about the Pope being the first visitor to the new "presidential palace". Hurriyet speculates that President Erdogan's message to the Pope might be: "Let's stop Islamophobia". | |
| The independent news portal says the treatment of Christian minorities in the Middle East is likely to top the Pope's agenda. | |
| One of the secular papers, Daily Cumhuriyet, quotes a senior Turkish religious official who takes issue with the Vatican's idea of inter-religious dialogue, saying: "The discourse of the Church should change". | One of the secular papers, Daily Cumhuriyet, quotes a senior Turkish religious official who takes issue with the Vatican's idea of inter-religious dialogue, saying: "The discourse of the Church should change". |