Pope Leo receives Metropolitan Filüksinos Yusuf Çetin

On Monday 24 August, the Holy Father received in private audience His Eminence Metropolitan Filüksinos Yusuf Çetin, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch for Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, accompanied by the Revd Deacon Joseph Önder.

On 29 November 2025, the Metropolitan had welcomed Pope Leo XIV at the Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul, on the occasion of an ecumenical meeting which was also attended by other Heads of Churches and Christian leaders, to commemorate the First Council of Nicaea.

During its visit to Rome, the delegation, accompanied by the Revd Hyacinthe Destivelle, met Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and attended the General Audience on Wednesday 26 August at St Peter’s Basilica, together with the Syriac Orthodox Diocesan Council of Istanbul.