The foreign visits of the last three popes illustrate how the Catholic church's diplomatic priorities have evolved in recent decades, moving increasingly away from Europe.

As Pope Leo XIV makes his first foreign visit to Muslim-majority Turkey, using information from the University of Denver Country and Organization Leader Travel (Colt) database and the official Vatican website, AFP takes a look at the foreign travels of his three predecessors:

- Francis: heads to Asia, Muslim world -

While Europe has always been a key destination, Argentinian Pope Francis turned papal attention to Asia, including the Middle East. He made nearly a third of his foreign visits to the region, almost as much as Europe (34 percent).

Seeking to reach out to places neglected by the Catholic Church, Francis ma

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