Turkey unveils rare and ancient Christian fresco during the pope’s visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed a recently discovered ancient Christian fresco during Pope Leo XIV’s official visit to Turkey. Erdogan presented the pope with a replica of the third-century fresco, which depicts Jesus as the Good Shepherd and was excavated in the city of Iznik. The pope's visit is intended to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, which was held in what is now Iznik. The fresco is considered a significant archaeological find, being the only known early Christian-era example of its kind outside of Italy, and its unveiling serves as a diplomatic gesture.