Protest against the Pope from Yeniden Refah: 'Atatürk did not permit it'

Ahead of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Turkey, members of the Yeniden Refah Party gathered on the shores of Lake İznik to hold a press conference. The statement was made near the archaeological site where the ruins of the Basilica of Saint Neophytos are located. Although presidential security guards initially attempted to prevent the statement, it was delivered following a brief discussion.

Yeniden Refah Party Bursa Provincial Chairman Mehmet Kaygusuz stated that the Pope's visit cannot be considered merely a tourism activity. Kaygusuz said, "The visit to Turkey by the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, under the pretext of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, cannot be accepted as a simple 'pilgrimage' or 'tourism' activity."

The statement criticized the timing and content of the visit, asserting that the language used in the Vatican's official statements carries a political agenda. "The timing and content of this visit clearly show that it carries a purely political and diplomatic agenda," it was stated. Furthermore, the fact that official political contacts, rather than religious ceremonies, were prioritized in the Pope's visit program was presented as evidence that the visit is taking place on a diplomatic footing.

"ATATÜRK'S RED LINES"

The statement recalled that the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, did not permit a similar event in 1925, adding, "It is unacceptable that this red line shown by our ancestors and Atatürk is ignored today." Additionally, the symbolic use of the old church in İznik and the Hagia Sophia Orhan Mosque was criticized, with the claim that this situation is part of an effort to establish an ecumenical dialogue center on Turkish soil.

The most critical point of the visit was identified as the Vatican's reference to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as 'ecumenical.' It was emphasized that this expression disregards the fundamental structure of the Republic of Turkey. The statement declared, "The claim that the Patriarch of Constantinople is the spiritual leader of all Orthodox Christians is an absurdity with no legal basis."

The Yeniden Refah Party called on the government to protect the red lines of national sovereignty, stating that such visits aim to create social disinformation and undermine national unity. "The Republic of Turkey must not be allowed to be used as a tool for such a political maneuver," it was stated.

News Source: 12punto