Pope Francis is heading to Turkey to promote inter-religious tolerance and plead for peace in the region. <br /><br />In Syria and Iraq, neighbouring Turkey, ancient Christian communities – along with other non-Christian minorities – are under attack from the extremist movement that calls itself Islamic State. <br /><br />The three-day trip starts this Friday.<br /><br />On the eve of his departure, in Rome, the head of the Catholic Church said:<br /><br />“I invite everybody to pray that this trip of Peter to his brother Andrew will bring the fruits of peace.” <br /><br />Christian tradition has it that the successor to Saint Andrew, Apostle of Jesus, is Patriarch Bartholomew I, current Archbishop of Constantinople.<br /><br />Bartholomew is the spiritual head of the world’s more than 300 million Eastern Orthodox Christians. There are roughly four times that many Catholics. He and Francis have met several times. <br /><br />Christians in Turkey make up a very small minority of the population, less than one percent. <br /><br />The predecessor of Francis, Benedict XVI, travelled to Istanbul in 2006 riding the inter-faith turbulence brought by a speech he had given which appeared to associate Islam with fanaticism, exploring the concept of violence.<br /><br />Francis will also visit the Blue Mosque, originally a Byzantine church and the world’s biggest, now a museum. Benedict paid his respects there to all that is good in Islam — but didn’t pray, according to the Catholic spokesman.<br /><br />Turkey is officially secular, but harassment and physical attacks on Christians have worsened in recent years.<br /><br />With the deadly new Muslim-Christian tensions next door, in August the Pope said the use of force against the warring Islamic State extremists could be justified. <br /><br />Francis will also be meeting Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a colossal new presidential palace in Ankara. <br /><br />Further reading:<br /><br />Hurriyet Daily News reports on ‘Turkey should use Pope’s visit to improve image of Islam’<br /><br />Pope likely to meet Christian refugees in Turkey<br /><br />Pope to Visit a Turkey That is Not Welcoming for Christians—Residents or Refugees<br />Christians regarded as foreigners. Will Francis call attention to country’s Christian past?<br /><br />Humble pope to visit lofty Turkish palace
