Pope Welcomed with Flowers by Pangaltı Mıhitaryan Students in Istanbul
The Head of the Vatican State and leader of the Catholic world, Pope Leo XIV, arrived in Turkey for his first official foreign visit. On the morning of November 27, he departed Rome on a private plane and arrived in Ankara. His first visit was to Anıtkabir. Around noon, he attended a reception at the Presidential Complex, where he met with President Erdoğan. The reception was also attended by the Patriarch of the Armenian community in Turkey, Sahak Maşalyan; AKP Istanbul Member of Parliament Dr. Sevan Sıvacıoğlu; and Berk Acar, who was elected as the first Armenian district governor and currently serves in the İbradı district of Antalya. After his meeting with President Erdoğan, Pope Leo XIV flew to Istanbul.
Arriving at Atatürk Airport at 19:15, he was welcomed by students from Pangaltı Mıhitaryan Primary School, who presented him with flowers. The welcoming ceremony was attended by Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, the Spiritual Leader of the Armenian Catholic Community in Turkey, Kerabaydzar Vartan Kazanciyan, Eva Orakyan, Principal of Pangaltı Mıhitaryan High School, and Katya M. Vargı, Principal of Pangaltı Mıhitaryan Primary School.
On Sunday, November 30, Pope Leo XIV is expected to attend a service at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Kumkapı, where he will again be welcomed by students from Pangaltı Mıhitaryan School.