What The Experts Say

Benedict will become only the second pontiff to visit a mosque (Photo - AP)

"Europe must recover its Christian roots, if it truly wants to survive."
-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 2004

And shortly after being elected as pontiff, Benedict also said some pretty nasty things about Turkey's attempts to join the EU.

Like, allowing the predominantly Muslim nation (with secular institutions but, like Europe and everywhere else, who knows for how much longer?) of Turkey into Europe’s club would be "an enormous mistake."

So if Turkey's membership in the EU is eventually rejected, can the Vatican take that vacant seat?