Thousands brave rain to attend Pope Leo XIV’s mass in Istanbul during his Turkey visit, where he urged building “bridges of unity” between faiths
ISTANBUL: Thousands of worshippers braved heavy rain to attend Pope Leo XIV’s mass in Istanbul on Saturday, the final full day of his visit to Turkey.
The American pontiff celebrated the service at Volkswagen Arena before an enthusiastic crowd of approximately 4,000 people.
Many attendees had travelled for hours to witness the pope’s first overseas trip since his election.
“I’m going to the mass, for me it’s the first time in my life!” exclaimed 68-year-old Gigi Moke from the Republic of Congo.
Iranian Christian refugee Kasra Esfandiyari travelled six hours from Izmir with his mother, calling it a “historic moment” that felt “a lot different from seeing someone on TV.”
Inside the stadium, typically used for concerts, an altar stood on a red-carpeted platform adorned with candles, flowers and a large cross.
Pope Leo entered wearing a purple chasuble embroidered with gold, marking the start of Advent.
The multilingual service featured prayers, readings and haunting choral interludes.
In his address, the pope urged believers to “build bridges of unity” within their communities, with other Christian denominations and “with brothers and sisters belonging to other religions.”
“We want to walk together by appreciating what unites us, breaking down the walls of prejudice and mistrust,” he declared.
The diverse crowd included both foreign visitors and local Turkish Christians.
“We’re so happy to see the pope, it’s a significant visit,” said Istanbul resident Cigdem Asinanyan, hoping it would raise awareness about Turkey’s Christian minority.
Spaniard Elena Gimenez Marques, who travelled seven hours by bus from Izmir, said being close to the pope was “like being close to God.”
Earlier on Saturday, Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, his first visit to a Muslim place of worship as pontiff.
The gesture followed similar visits by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and Pope Francis in 2014.
Unlike his predecessors, Pope Leo did not visit the nearby Hagia Sophia, which was converted back into a mosque in 2020.
On Sunday, the pope will conduct a prayer service at the Armenian cathedral and lead a divine liturgy at St George’s before departing for Lebanon. – AFP
