Pope Leo XIV has carried out his first official visit outside the Vatican, choosing Turkey as his initial destination.
He was received with full state honors by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
During the welcoming ceremony, a moment went viral on social media: the Pope greeted the soldiers in Turkish, saying “Merhaba, asker” — which translates to “Hello, soldiers.”
Following this unexpected gesture, the Pope turned toward President Erdoğan, and the two were seen smiling as the crowd reacted warmly to the moment.
