Fisichella Opens Pilgrim House at Ancient Nicaea
A papal chalice and a plaque blessed by Pope Leo XIV mark the new chapel where pilgrims can celebrate the Eucharist by Lake Ascanius.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, has inaugurated the Pilgrim House beside the ruins of ancient Nicaea, now İznik on the shore of Lake Ascanius in Turkey. At the invitation of Bishop Massimiliano Palinuro, Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul, he also consecrated the altar of the house chapel so that prayer and the Eucharist may be celebrated there for visitors.
The exact day of the rites was not specified in the announcement published on November 8, 2026. All the bishops of the Turkish Episcopal Conference and representatives of the Christian communities present in Turkey took part.
A Sign After the Council Anniversary
The building holds a marble plaque blessed by Pope Leo XIV in November 2025, during his visit to Nicaea for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council. The Holy Father also sent a precious chalice as a memento of the chapel’s dedication.
Before consecrating the altar, Archbishop Fisichella stressed the value of such a concrete gesture. He reminded the faithful that a small community, by its way of life, is a sign of hope and above all of the unity of faith, which makes believers the Church of Christ everywhere in the world.
Archbishop Martin Kmetec of Izmir, president of the episcopal conference, described the new house as a sign of welcome for the many pilgrims who come each year to the city of the Church’s first council. Local civil authorities joined the moment of thanksgiving: vice-governor Arif Karaman and Nicaea mayor Kağan Mehmet Usta sent greetings and gratefully recalled the Pope’s earlier visit.
Nicaea and the Life of the Church
Nicaea remains a living memory of the faith professed in 325. The new reception center gives pilgrims a place of hospitality and sacramental life beside the historic site, under the pastoral care of the Apostolic Vicariate of Istanbul and with the visible support of the universal Church. The presence of the entire Turkish episcopate underscored communion among the local Churches and with Rome at a place where the Creed still gathers the baptized.