(See related) Pope Francis has told Turkish officials that he would prefer to travel in a Fiat sedan and not an armoured vehicle during his visit to the country that begins later this week, local media reported.
Francis begins a three-day visit to Turkey on Friday, with an itinerary that starts with a stop in Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in the Turkish capital Ankara. Turkish officials found a compromise, agreeing that the pope will be spared an armoured vehicle but insist the pontiff travel in a luxury car which is said to be more fitting to his status, The Daily Saban online reported.
The pope very often asks to travel in simple cars, to be as close as possible to people, rather than in such bulletproof vehicles as the popemobiles.
There were no specific concerns about Pope Francis's security during his visit to Turkey, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said last week.
There has been speculation that the leader of the Catholic Church could be a target for Islamist terrorists in the country that is majority Muslim, given the ongoing conflict and tension in the Middle East.
"There is no specific reason for concern," Lombardi told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.
"I am not aware of any raising of the (level of the) pope's protection. It's all like it was before".
Francis's historical visit includes several meetings with Turkey's top officials and religious authorities.
Following his visit to Anitkabir, he will later meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Francis will also celebrate Mass in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, and participate in a divine liturgy at Istanbul's Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Fener.
A private meeting with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I is also planned as well as a visit to Istanbul's famous Blue Mosque and a stop at the House of the Virgin Mary in the small town of Selcuk.
The trip will mark the fourth official visit by a pontiff to Turkey: Pope Paul VI was there in 1967, Pope John Paul II in 1976 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. http://popefrancisnewsapp.com/
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