Pope Leo XIV visited Istanbul’s renowned Blue Mosque on Saturday, kicking off a day filled with meetings and liturgical events focused on fostering unity among Christians. Although the Vatican had announced a planned “brief moment of silent prayer,” the Pope chose not to pray during his visit, which involved a tour of the mosque led by imam Asgin Tunca.
As he toured the historic 17th-century mosque, Leo removed his shoes and walked through the grand structure in white socks, admiring its intricately tiled domes and Arabic inscriptions. Tunca invited the Pope to pray, emphasizing that the mosque is “Allah’s house,” but Leo declined the offer. Following the visit, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated, “The Pope experienced his visit to the mosque in silence, in a spirit of contemplation and listening, with deep respect for the place and the faith of those who gather there in prayer.” Subsequently, the Vatican corrected its official bulletin, removing the reference to the silent prayer without further clarification.
This visit marked a continuation of a tradition among recent popes, who have sought to honor Turkey’s Muslim majority through high-profile visits to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Previous visits have often sparked speculation regarding whether the pontiff would engage in prayer or at least pause for a moment of reflection. For instance, during his 2006 visit, Pope Benedict XVI observed a moment of silent prayer in the mosque as a gesture of goodwill.
In contrast, Pope Francis, during his visit in 2014, participated in two minutes of silent prayer, which was met with a warm response from the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, who remarked, “May God accept it.”
The atmosphere during Leo’s visit was marked by a desire to appreciate the mosque’s significance rather than engage in formal prayer. Tunca noted that the Pope wanted to “feel the atmosphere of the mosque” and expressed satisfaction with the visit, indicating that the Pope’s presence was more about respect and understanding.
Changes to the official itinerary also emerged during this visit. Originally, the head of Turkey’s Diyanet religious affairs directorate was expected to accompany Leo, but he did not attend, as he had already met with the Pope in Ankara.
While past popes have included visits to the nearby Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage site once pivotal to Christianity, Leo omitted this landmark from his itinerary. The site was converted from a museum back to a mosque in July 2020, a decision that sparked considerable international controversy, including disapproval from the Vatican.
After visiting the mosque, Pope Leo XIV held a private meeting with Christian leaders at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem. Later in the day, he was scheduled to pray with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, at the patriarchal church of Saint George. During these meetings, the Pope stressed that division among Christians hampers their collective witness and highlighted the upcoming Holy Year in 2033, marking the anniversary of Christ’s crucifixion. He invited Christian leaders to journey to Jerusalem in pursuit of unity.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit also faced logistical challenges. His ITA Airways Airbus A320neo charter was affected by a global software update mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. This update followed an investigation that suggested a software issue was linked to a sudden altitude drop in a JetBlue flight. Bruni confirmed that ITA was addressing the issue and that the necessary components for the update were en route to Istanbul.
Following his visit to Turkey, Pope Leo is set to travel to Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday afternoon, marking the second leg of his inaugural trip as pontiff. As he continues to navigate international relations and interfaith dialogue, Leo’s actions reflect a commitment to building bridges between diverse faith communities while addressing the challenges that lie ahead.
