Pope Francis on Thursday said he planned to visit Turkey's Iznik next year for the anniversary of the first council of the Christian Church, Italian newswire ANSA reported.
Pope Francis © Mena Today
Pope Francis on Thursday said he planned to visit Turkey's Iznik next year for the anniversary of the first council of the Christian Church, Italian newswire ANSA reported.
"During the Holy Year, we will also have the opportunity to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the first great Ecumenical Council, that of Nicaea. I plan to go there," the pontiff was quoted as saying in an off-the-cuff comment to a speech he gave to a theological committee.
The early centuries of Christianity were marked by lively debate about how Jesus could be both God and man, and the Church decided on the issue at the First Council of Nicaea - now known as Iznik - in 325.
Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his support on Friday for the continued advance of Syrian rebels, stating that their ultimate goal is Damascus, the Syrian capital.
The resurgence of fighting in Syria has brought into focus the role of foreign powers in the country. Turkey, Iran, Russia and the United States have all deployed troops in Syria since 2011, while Israel mounts frequent airstrikes in Syrian territory.
Iran sent into space on Friday its heaviest-ever payload using the Simorgh carrier rocket including an advanced module for transferring satellites to higher-altitude orbits, state television reported.
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