Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 03:00 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV visited the Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul on Friday, telling the community that Christian charity begins not with doing, but with being, i.e., living a real communion with those one serves."The secret of Christian charity is that before being for others, we must first be with others in a communion based on fraternity," he said during the encounter on Nov. 28, the second day of his apostolic trip to Turkey, where he is marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. A papal stop at a charitable institution has become customary during international journeys, and Pope Leo chose to spend time with the elderly as a sign of closeness to those often marginalized in modern societies.Founded in France in 1839 by St. Jeanne...
Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.
Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 03:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV visited the Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul on Friday, telling the community that Christian charity begins not with doing, but with being, i.e., living a real communion with those one serves.
"The secret of Christian charity is that before being for others, we must first be with others in a communion based on fraternity," he said during the encounter on Nov. 28, the second day of his apostolic trip to Turkey, where he is marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.
A papal stop at a charitable institution has become customary during international journeys, and Pope Leo chose to spend time with the elderly as a sign of closeness to those often marginalized in modern societies.
Founded in France in 1839 by St. Jeanne Jugan, the Little Sisters of the Poor serve elderly people in need around the world, including in Turkey, where they welcome residents of different religious backgrounds. The pope was greeted at the residence by the mother superior, former superior, and provincial leader before proceeding to the chapel to meet residents, staff, and benefactors.
Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media.
Reflecting on the congregation's name, the pope told the Sisters that their mission mirrors the life of Christ himself. "The Lord has called you not only to assist or help the poor, but has also called you to be their 'sisters.' You are to be like Jesus, whom the Father sent to us not only to help and serve us, but also to be our brother."
Turning to the residents, he warned that the word "elderly" risks losing its meaning in cultures driven by efficiency and materialism. Such attitudes, he said, lead societies to forget the dignity and value of older persons. Scripture and tradition, by contrast, present the elderly as bearers of memory and wisdom.
"As Pope Francis loved to repeat – the elderly are the wisdom of a people, a treasure for their grandchildren, families and society as a whole," he said.
Pope Leo concluded by thanking the community for its patient, prayerful witness and prayed that the Lord would strengthen all who live and serve in the home.
Pope Leo XIV greets children outside of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025, the second day of his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon. / Credit: Vatican Media.CNA Staff, Nov 28, 2025 / 00:12 am (CNA).The second day of Pope Leo XIV's apostolic journey to Turkey is focused on praying with the Christian community. Watch LIVE the major events of this trip at youtube.com/@ewtnnews and follow our live updates of his historic visit:
Pope Leo XIV encourages Catholic clergy, religious brothers and sisters, and lay pastoral workers to see the Catholic community's small size as a strength during an encounter at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 01:55 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV encouraged Turkey's small Catholic community Friday to rediscover what he called the Gospel's "logic of littleness," urging them not to be discouraged by their tiny numbers but to recognize in them the strength of authentic Christian witness.The pope addressed bishops, priests, religious, pastoral workers, and laypeople at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul on his second day in the country. Catholics in Turkey make up roughly 0.05% of the nation's 85 million people.Calling Turkey a "holy land" where the Old and New Testaments meet, the pope recalled the deep Christian roots of the region: Abraham's journey through Harran, the early Christi...
Image from page 155 of "Young Folks' History of the United States" (1903). / Credit: Public domainSt. Louis, Missouri, Nov 27, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).In 1621, lacking both the skills and the resources necessary to survive in the harsh territory of New England, European pilgrims encountered a miracle: a Native American who not only spoke English but who also used his skills and knowledge to help them adapt to their environment and survive the brutal winter.This was Squanto, a man who occupies a special place in the hearts of many people who celebrate Thanksgiving because of his willingness and ability to help the newcomers to his land.Squanto's full name was Tisquantum, and he was a member of the Patuxet tribe, which lived in and around modern-day Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was probably born around 1585 in the area that is now Boston.Little is known about Tisquantum's early life, but what is known is that he was abducted from his homeland as a slave by an Englishman, Thomas Hunt...
Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.
