The Jesuit presence in Türkiye falls under the responsibility of the Jesuit Conference of European Provincials (JCEP), which accompanies and supports the Society of Jesus' presence in the country. The Jesuits have a community in Ankara, where they engage in pastoral work and collaborate closely with the local Church, contributing to its life and mission.

From 1 to 4 October 2026, the Jesuit community in Türkiye had the honour of welcoming Fr Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and members of his team. The visit coincided with the conclusion of the celebrations marking 25 years of Jesuit presence in Ankara and provided an opportunity to reflect on the community's history, strengthen relationships with the local Church and look towards the future of its mission. The following article shares highlights from this meaningful visit.

From Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October, the Jesuits in Türkiye had the joy of welcoming Fr. Arturo Sosa and his team, comprising Frs. Victor Assouad, Cipriano Diaz Marcos, Ricardo da Silva, Dalibor Renic and Marek Cieslik. This is the third time we have welcomed with gratitude a Superior General in this way since the foundation of our community in Ankara on 1 October 2000, following visits by Fr. Kolvenbach in 2006 and Fr. Nicolas in 2011.

Fr. General and his team spent the first two days of their visit in the south of the country, where they were welcomed by our brother bishop, Antuan Ilgıt. On arriving in Adana, they were then able to walk in the footsteps of Saint Paul in Tarsus, before continuing on to Iskenderun, where Antuan resides without his cathedral, as it collapsed during the earthquake that struck the region in February 2023. The following day, they travelled to Antioch, a city which had been completely devastated by that event, where they witnessed life gradually returning to the area, before flying to Ankara that evening.

In October 2026, the Jesuit community concluded the celebrations marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of its presence in the capital of the Republic of Turkey (and the Society’s third presence in ‘Asia Minor’ over the past few centuries), providing an opportunity to take stock and look ahead to the future. On Saturday morning, we gratefully reviewed our history with the Generalate team and reflected on the various milestones that have marked our presence in Turkey over the last quarter of a century, before considering the most recent of these and the promises it holds, following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. A visit to the Apostolic Nuncio, Mons. Marek Solczynski, enabled us to broaden our perspective on the Church in Turkey, whilst the festive lunch gave the Generalate team the chance to discover the country’s culinary culture with enthusiasm. In the afternoon, after some time spent reflecting further on what had been discussed that morning, we spoke with a number of friends and collaborators who shared their perspectives on our work and that of the local Church, before celebrating a Mass of thanksgiving together to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of our presence in Ankara, on the feast day of Saint Francis Borgia.

Sunday was devoted to the feast day of the parish entrusted to the Society in Ankara and dedicated to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Following a meeting with our bishop, Mons. Massimiliano Palinuro, the Generalate team met with a group of young Turks who shared with them what had led them to seek baptism. The celebration of the feast of Saint Thérèse with the bishop and the entire local Turkish-speaking Christian community late in the morning allowed the Generalate team to appreciate the wonderful vitality that animates it and which was overflowing everywhere, far beyond the walls of our chapel! The reception that followed gave everyone the opportunity to meet Fr. General and chat with him in a relaxed atmosphere.

At the end of this visit, the Jesuit community felt confirmed in its presence in Turkey and is beginning a new pastoral year with a renewed fire.