Pope Leo XIV visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque on Saturday, a historic Ottoman monument, marking his first visit to a Muslim place of worship since his election in May.
On the third day of his trip to Turkey, the American Pope entered the 17th-century mosque, known for its delicate ceramics, wearing white socks and accompanied by Istanbul’s mufti.
The visit is seen as a gesture of friendship towards Sunni Islam, the majority religion in Turkey, following in the footsteps of previous Popes Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014.
The Vatican press office described the visit as a silent moment of reflection and deep respect for the mosque and the faith of those present in prayer.
The Blue Mosque, also known as Sultanahmet Mosque, is a major tourist attraction, built during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I on the site of a former Byzantine imperial palace.
Unlike his predecessors, Leo XIV did not visit Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine-era basilica located just 300 metres away, which was controversially converted into a mosque in 2020 under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pope Francis had previously expressed sorrow over this decision.
Later, the Pope met with leaders of Christian churches and communities at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem.
Leo XIV is the fifth Pope to make an official visit to Turkey, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, Benedict XVI in 2006, and Francis in 2014.
