Pope Leo XIV visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque on Saturday morning, marking the third day of his trip to Turkey and the first time the American pontiff has entered a Muslim place of worship since his election in May.
The Blue Mosque, one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks, is renowned for its six minarets, cascading domes, and interiors adorned with vivid blue Iznik tiles. The visit carries deep symbolic meaning, following in the footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and Pope Francis in 2014.
Leo XIV, like all visitors, removed his shoes before entering, stepping onto the mosque’s burnt-orange carpets in white socks—a likely playful nod to his favourite baseball team, the Chicago White Sox. He spent approximately 15 minutes inside, touring the mosque with Muslim dignitaries, while a crow circled the domes overhead, according to an AFP correspondent traveling with the papal delegation.
“He wanted to see the mosque, he wanted to feel its atmosphere, and he was very pleased,” said Askin Tunca, the mosque’s muezzin, who calls worshippers to prayer.
Outside, several dozen spectators—mostly foreign tourists—watched from behind security barriers. Roberta Ribola, a 50-year-old Italian tourist, described the pope’s visit as “a very beautiful thing because he brings peace with him.” Sedat Kezer, a local street vendor, welcomed the cultural exchange but noted, “The pope would seem more sincere if he mingled with the public. No one can see or interact with him,” referring to the extensive security presence.
Some attendees expressed frustration. “The pope has no business here,” said Bekir Sarikaya, a Turkish tourist whose parents had travelled far to pray but were turned away. His wife, however, defended the visit, saying, “We can visit the churches of Istanbul, so he has the right to visit our mosques.”
Unlike his predecessors, Leo XIV did not visit the nearby Hagia Sophia, the historic sixth-century basilica turned mosque under the Ottoman Empire, later a museum, and reconverted into a mosque in 2020—a decision that drew global criticism, including from the late Pope Francis.
Later on Saturday, Leo is scheduled to meet local church leaders and participate in a brief service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George. He will also meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at his palace along the Golden Horn estuary, where the two are expected to sign a joint declaration, the details of which have not yet been released.
At 1400 GMT, the pope will lead a mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, with around 4,000 worshippers anticipated to attend. On Sunday, following a prayer service at the Armenian cathedral and an Orthodox divine liturgy at St. George’s, Leo will travel to Lebanon, marking the second leg of his first overseas tour since being elected.
