The Exhibition on the Council of Nicaea and the Pope’s Journey to Turkey

As Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon (scheduled from 27 November to 2 December, with the Turkish leg ending on 30 November) approaches, the Vatican presents an exhibition that helps to understand and explore the historical and existential significance of this mission.

On Thursday, 6 November at 12:00 noon, the Holy See Press Office will host the presentation of “Light from Light. Nicaea 1700 Years Later”, the exhibition first shown at the 2025 Meeting and promoted by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Patres Association, in partnership with the Meeting for Friendship among Peoples.

Speakers will include Fernando Puig (Rector of the University), Giulio Maspero (Dean of Theology), Ilaria Vigorelli (Director of the ROR Research Centre) and Alessandra Vitez (Head of Exhibitions at the Meeting).

The official inauguration will take place the same day, at 5:30 p.m., in the Álvaro del Portillo Hall of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, with contributions from Gian Guido Vecchi, Vatican correspondent for Corriere della Sera, together with Fr. Paolo Prosperi and Ilaria Vigorelli, professors at the University and curators of the exhibition.

The journey to Turkey and Lebanon, announced in October, will be Pope Leo XIV’s first international trip, rich with ecumenical meaning. The Pope will visit İznik, the ancient Nicaea, the site of the first Ecumenical Council in 325, where the Creed that still forms the cornerstone of Christian unity was proclaimed.

In a recent audience, Pope Leo XIV remarked: “The Council of Nicaea is not merely a historical fact; it remains a compass that should continue to guide us toward the full and visible unity of all Christians.”

This commitment to unity has been mirrored in friendship and dialogue. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who took part in the 2025 Meeting, expressed his joy for the upcoming papal visit, saying: “Together, as Christians, we bear witness that there can be no peace without justice.”

The exhibition “Light from Light”, conceived during the Meeting itself, thus becomes a genuine cultural bridge between Rome, Istanbul and Nicaea. Fittingly, it will also be displayed in Turkey, in a bilingual edition (English and Turkish), at the local episcopal residence during the papal journey.

The exhibition offers an immersive itinerary of texts, images and multimedia installations, inviting visitors to rediscover the historical and theological depth of the Council of Nicaea on its 1700th anniversary.
It is a chance to reflect on how Christian faith, across the centuries, has been a light illuminating reason, history and human experience.

After being presented at the Meeting in Rimini and at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, “Light from Light. Nicaea 1700 Years Later” will continue its journey throughout Italy and abroad.
Parishes, schools and cultural centers can request to host the itinerant version of the Meeting exhibition.