Pope Francis on Thursday said he planned to visit Turkiye’s Iznik next year for the anniversary of the first council of the Christian Church.

Axar.az reports that, citing Reuters, “During the Holy Year, we will also have the opportunity to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the first great Ecumenical Council, that of Nicaea. I plan to go there,” the pontiff was quoted as saying in an off-the-cuff comment to a speech he gave to a theological committee.

The early centuries of Christianity were marked by lively debate about how Jesus could be both God and man, and the Church decided on the issue at the First Council of Nicaea - now known as Iznik - in 325.