Did you know this isn’t the first time Pope Leo XIV has taken part in a papal trip? It sounds strange, but it’s true. Back then, however, he was simply known as Robert Prevost.
Look at these images: it’s a trip of Pope Francis, but if you look closely at the cardinals… there he is—the one who is now the Pope.
So what can we learn from this footage? Well, we can see that Prevost not only traveled on the papal plane: he had a front row seat at almost every event. He saw everything from the inside— the logistics, the movements, key people, and the reactions.
Without realizing it, he spent years preparing, asking himself the important questions: Who am I speaking to? A politician? A Catholic minority? And what message do they need to hear? Now, everything he once observed has become his reality.
TURKEY TRIP
A POPE WHO HAS NOT CHANGED
But that’s not all. In the year 2018, during Pope Francis’s trip to Peru, among all these bishops, was the then-bishop of Chiclayo: today’s Pope Leo XIV, long before arriving to the Vatican.
Look at the greeting. It’s interesting, because it shows that he's not just become shy now. He has always had the same soft smile, the same way of nodding, and the same careful and discreet gestures.
This shows that none of this is new to Pope Leo – he has experienced papal trips. However, what he has had to get used to now is being the one who leads them.
TURKEY TRIP
A PAPAL VISIT TO YOUR COUNTRY
If yesterday we saw a more political and diplomatic Pope Leo, today we saw his warmth. And he seemed more at ease among his own people, among the small Catholic community that in Turkey doesn’t even reach 1% of the population.
This is how they were waiting for him in the streets: a sea of phones trying to capture every moment. Understandably—it's not every day a Pope visits your city. In fact, with so many people, it was almost hard to see him.
And keep in mind: these trips paralyze cities. What would be a normal routine—going to work, or to school, or to the supermarket—becomes impossibly complicated by blocked streets, police and crowds. Fun fact, you might even come across a Swiss Guard, but not in Vatican uniform— you'll see him wearing a suit, doing what they always do: protecting the Pope.
TURKEY TRIP
AN OVERWHELMING WELCOME
We don’t know if Pope Leo expected such a reaction from the Catholics, but it was one of the most moving moments of the day.
And the Roman pontiff felt it. Once again—dressed in red—we saw him looking around, even upward, slightly bewildered by what he was experiencing. His smile seemed to say, “I’m not entirely sure what to do or say right now.”
And look at this… Pope Leo XIV was genuinely moved by an image reminiscent of May 8, when he appeared for the first time on the balcony of San Pietro after his election.
TURKEY TRIP
CHANGES IN THE MEETINGS
There does appear to be a significant difference between Pope Francis’s meetings and Pope Leo’s. In Pope Francis’ events, there were usually a large number of testimonies: migrants, refugees, abuse victims, etc… With Pope Leo, we haven’t seen that thus far.
But what has stood out is how close he has been at the end of all of his meetings, just like this one.
He stayed a long time, greeting almost everyone, receiving gifts, and listening carefully to what they told him. And afterward, he even went briefly to the sacristy, took off the red mozzetta, came back out, wearing just the white cassock… simply to continue greeting people.
TURKEY TRIP
UNEXPECTED MOMENTS HAPPEN TOO
However, no matter how well planned, papal trips aren’t perfect. They have their unexpected moments too. Look at what happened when Pope Leo XIV ran into a little bit of trouble today.
We saw the Pope having difficulty unveiling this plaque… We saw him pulling and pulling. It seems they tied it tighter than normal, and of course, when they finally managed it, what followed was exactly what you’d expect…
TURKEY TRIP
THE MOST TENDER MOMENT OF THE DAY
Pope Leo looked most comfortable when visiting the Little Sisters of the Poor’s nursing home. He was smiling, spontaneous, and made it clear that he also wants to be close to the most vulnerable, just like his predecessor.
His message was simple: we cannot forget the elderly. But more than his words, his gestures, breaking protocol to approach those in wheelchairs and look them in the eyes, made his time there special.
NATSFor this small community, the Pope visiting them carries enormous weight. You can see it just on the expressions of these sisters; surely, for them, it has been a tremendous encouragement to keep up their good work.
TURKEY TRIP
THE CENTRAL EVENT: NICAEA
But let’s not forget the main reason for the trip: the pilgrimage for the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. To some, it may have seemed simple or lightly attended—far from the image of hundreds of Catholic and Orthodox faithful gathered together.
However, those involved in the organization told us that President Erdogan’s government only allowed the ecumenical event on this very condition – that the celebration not be loud or large, in order to avoid a display of Christian strength in a country where Islam is central to the national identity.
