By Bayo Adeseni
Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981, was escorted out of the Turkish town of Iznik on Thursday, Nov. 27, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit, Turkish media reported.
Agca, a Turkish national, shot Pope John Paul II multiple times in St. Peter’s Square in May 1981, seriously wounding the pontiff. While in Iznik, he reportedly expressed hope to meet Pope Leo for “two or three minutes,” but authorities removed him before the pope’s arrival, according to Halk TV.
After the assassination attempt, Agca was sentenced to life in prison in Italy and later served time in Ankara, Turkey. He was released in January 2010, after 29 years behind bars. During his incarceration, Pope John Paul II visited him in December 1983, during which Agca repented for the attack, though his motives were never fully clarified.
Speaking to Turkish media in Iznik, Agca stated that he wished “to welcome the pope” and hoped for a brief meeting either in Iznik or Istanbul.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Iznik is part of his first international trip as leader of the Catholic Church. The stop also marks the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark gathering of bishops in 325 that established a statement of faith that remains central to Christianity today.
