Pope Leo XIV will visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, continuing papal tradition of Muslim-Christian dialogue while skipping controversial Hagia Sophia site
ISTANBUL: Pope Leo XIV will visit Istanbul’s historic Blue Mosque on Saturday during his three-day trip to Turkey.
This marks the American pope’s first visit to a Muslim place of worship since his election in May as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
The visit continues the tradition established by his predecessors Benedict XVI in 2006 and Francis in 2014, both of whom made similar symbolic gestures.
Unlike previous papal visits, Leo will not tour the nearby Hagia Sophia, which was converted back into a mosque in 2020 amid international criticism.
The late Pope Francis had expressed sadness about Hagia Sophia’s reconversion, which drew condemnation from religious and political leaders worldwide.
The Blue Mosque, named for its vibrant blue Iznik tile interior, stands as one of Istanbul’s premier tourist attractions.
Built in the early 17th century under Sultan Ahmed I, the mosque features six towering minarets on the site of Constantinople’s ancient Hippodrome.
Later Saturday, the pope will meet local church leaders and attend a service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George.
He will then join Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at his palace to sign a joint declaration, though its contents remain undisclosed.
The day concludes with a mass at Volkswagen Arena expected to draw approximately 4,000 worshippers.
On Friday, the pontiff traveled to Iznik for an ecumenical prayer commemorating 1,700 years since one of the early Church’s significant gatherings.
His Turkey visit concludes Sunday with services at the Armenian cathedral and St. George’s before departing for Lebanon. – AFP
