Pope Leo visits Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque
Pope Leo XIV has visited Istanbul’s famed Blue Mosque as part of his first foreign trip since becoming head of the Catholic Church. The stop at the 17th‑century Sultan Ahmed Mosque came during a multi‑day visit to Türkiye and Lebanon marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. At the mosque, Turkey’s top religious official from the Diyanet walked the pontiff through the carpeted interior, showing him the soaring blue‑tiled dome and Arabic calligraphy that give the site its global renown. Following the example of his predecessors, Leo removed his shoes and spent a quiet moment in reflection, seen as a gesture of respect toward the country’s Muslim majority. The Blue Mosque visit is one of several symbolic moments on a trip focused on dialogue between Christians and Muslims and support for Christian communities in the Middle East. […]
