During Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Turkey this week politics and religion intermingled in a positive contribution to inter-civilisational understanding. "This visit will help us find together the way of peace for the good of all humanity," he said after his richly symbolic visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, during which he prayed towards Mecca. That gesture and those words are a fine example of leadership in a world badly in need of reconciliation between Christian and Muslim cultures. Pope Benedict and his hosts deserve the thanks and appreciation of both traditions for making the visit such a success.
The achievement may be measured by the likely consequences if it had failed. Pope Benedict himself added significantly to the existing tension between the Christian and Muslim worlds when he implied in Regensburg last September that they are based on incompatible values. The hostile response to his remarks in Turkey and elsewhere was compounded by his recorded hostility to Turkey joining the European Union for the same reason. On Wednesday the European Commission recommended a partial suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey to the EU summit because of a failure to make progress on Cyprus and human rights. The stage seemed to be set for a mutually reinforcing cultural and political "train crash" just as wider tensions in the Middle East are coming to a head.
The skilful handling of Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey makes this less likely to happen. There is an extraordinary immediacy in the Turkish response to perceptions of cultural hostility or rejection. "If you don't like us we will not like you" seems to be their guiding spirit. It can readily be seen in the Turkish media's coverage of the Pope's visit, which echoes the popular mood. The same applies to Turkish public attitudes on the EU, which plummeted this year as many leaders found principled excuses to oppose Turkey's EU membership in the genuine negotiating obstacles that arose.
The Pope's visit has given all sides in this debate more time for reflection and dialogue, both much needed. He indicated to prime minister Tayyip Erdogan that the Vatican now favours Turkey joining the EU. By his actions he has reversed the wounding words he spoke about Christian-Islamic relations last September. With several gestures he recognised and respected the strength of Turkish national symbolism. In doing so he has made space for the Turkish official side to hear his compelling case that Orthodox and Catholic Christians there have real rights of toleration and religious practice. Above all, he gained a proper hearing for his remark before departing that his church wants an equitable dialogue, not "to impose anything on anyone".
The popular Turkish mood has immediately appreciated the seriousness of this encounter in a response that is likely to resonate widely throughout the rest of the Islamic world and should do so in Europe too.