Call to cooperate on human rights
Pope Benedict XVI succeeded in carrying out the purpose of his visit to Turkey, which was to visit the Phanar and at the same time lend his support to the beleaguered Ecumenical Patriarchate. Support The Church of Rome offered its support without asking for any kind of subjugation as it had done 600 years earlier, but in the spirit of fraternal love between two churches. This support from the pontiff of Rome carries great weight, given the political and religious strength and influence of the Catholic Church, which has more than a billion adherents. While in Turkey, the pope took advantage of the opportunity to put respect for human rights and minorities on the agenda of his talks with the Turkish leadership, laying emphasis on the tiny Catholic community that resides in Turkey. Benedict underlined his interest in the local Catholic community by officiating at masses in Catholic churches in Ephesus and Istanbul. During his meetings in Ankara he made a point of noting, «The Turkish state recognizes the right of every citizen to freedom of religion and conscience.» Hagia Sophia The pope also made an effort to dispel the negative attitude toward him that arose from earlier statements he made opposing Turkey’s entry into the European Union, and from the reaction to a recent speech he made in Germany when he quoted the views of a Byzantine emperor on the Prophet Muhammad and Islam. Benedict’s visit to Hagia Sophia and, in particular, his moment of prayer at the Blue Mosque reassured Turkish fundamentalists and, to some extent, the nationalists, while also expressing his respect for Islam.
