Pope Visits Istanbul Blue Mosque, Marks Unity-Focused Trip/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pope Leo XIV visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque but chose not to pray, breaking from previous papal tradition. His visit centered on promoting Christian unity, with meetings involving Turkey’s Christian and Orthodox leaders. The pope’s charter plane was also impacted by a global Airbus software update.
Pope Skips Prayer During Blue Mosque Visit: Quick Looks
- Pope Leo XIV visits Istanbul’s Blue Mosque but does not pray inside.
- Breaks precedent set by Popes Benedict XVI and Francis who prayed silently.
- Visit focused on fostering Christian unity with Orthodox and local leaders.
- Vatican revises official bulletin to remove planned “moment of prayer.”
- Imam invited pope to pray, but Leo declined, opting for quiet contemplation.
- Pope held meeting with Turkey’s Christian leaders at Syriac Orthodox Church.
- Later joined Patriarch Bartholomew at the Church of Saint George.
- Joint statement signed urging Christian unity by 2033, next Holy Year.
- Leo to celebrate Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena for Catholic minority.
- Pope’s A320neo charter affected by global Airbus software glitch.
Deep Look: Pope Leo’s Blue Mosque Visit Signals Shift Toward Christian Unity
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) – On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in history, made a landmark visit to Istanbul’s famed Blue Mosque, marking a symbolic moment of interfaith outreach. However, unlike his predecessors, Leo chose not to engage in prayer during his time inside the mosque—a decision that stirred quiet commentary across religious and diplomatic circles.
A Quiet Visit, Not a Prayer
Wearing white socks and solemn expression, Pope Leo removed his shoes and walked through the 17th-century Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, guided by Imam Asgin Tunca. The pontiff gazed at the grand domes and intricate Arabic inscriptions, absorbing the reverence of the space.
While the Vatican had initially announced Leo would observe a “brief moment of silent prayer,” the pontiff refrained. The imam reportedly invited the pope to pray, emphasizing that the mosque is “Allah’s house.” However, Leo respectfully declined, choosing instead a moment of silent contemplation.
Later, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni clarified the pope’s stance, saying he experienced the visit “in a spirit of contemplation and listening,” and respected the sanctity of the space. The Vatican also issued a corrected version of its official itinerary, quietly removing the phrase about a planned silent prayer.
Historical Context: A Break from Tradition
Papal visits to the Blue Mosque have always drawn attention, particularly around the sensitive question of whether a Christian leader would pray in a Muslim house of worship.
- In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI, following a controversial speech linking Islam and violence, made a last-minute addition to visit the mosque and prayed silently next to the imam.
- In 2014, Pope Francis bowed his head in silent prayer for two minutes, facing east, in a gesture widely regarded as deeply respectful.
- In contrast, Pope Leo’s decision not to pray, despite a scheduled moment for reflection, signals a shift in approach—less about gestures in Islamic spaces and more about Christian reconciliation.
Imam Reflects on the Visit
Following the mosque visit, Imam Tunca told reporters: “It’s not my house or your house, it’s Allah’s house. I said, ‘If you want, you can worship here.’ But he said, ‘That’s OK.’” Tunca added that Leo appeared genuinely interested in feeling the spiritual atmosphere of the mosque, and was visibly pleased during the tour.
One notable change from the original plan was the absence of the head of Turkey’s Diyanet, the country’s top religious authority. While he was initially expected to accompany the pope at the mosque, a Diyanet spokesperson later said that his formal welcome in Ankara was considered sufficient.
No Visit to Hagia Sophia
Pope Leo notably omitted the Hagia Sophia from his Istanbul itinerary. The ancient church-turned-mosque-turned-museum—and most recently reconverted into a mosque in 2020—has long symbolized the crossroads of Christianity and Islam. Past popes have visited the site, but Leo’s decision to skip it may reflect a diplomatic stance amid ongoing tensions around the reconversion.
The 2020 reconversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum back into a functioning mosque drew criticism from UNESCO, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Vatican itself. Leo’s omission may indicate a strategic focus on unity within Christianity, rather than engaging in further interfaith controversies.
Focus on Christian Unity
After the mosque visit, Leo met privately with leaders of Turkey’s Christian denominations at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem. The day’s centerpiece event was a prayer service with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodoxy, at the Church of Saint George.
There, the two religious leaders signed a joint declaration urging Christians to overcome division, especially in light of the upcoming Holy Year in 2033, which marks 2,000 years since the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Leo emphasized that division among Christians undermines their witness and called for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem as a shared gesture of reconciliation and unity during the Holy Year.
Mass for Turkey’s Catholic Minority
The day concluded with a Mass led by Leo at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, attended by members of Turkey’s small Catholic community, which numbers approximately 33,000 in a country of 85 million, the vast majority of whom are Sunni Muslim.
Leo’s homily centered on hope, harmony, and enduring faith. The event marked a personal and pastoral close to a day steeped in religious diplomacy.
Even the Pope Hit by Airbus Glitch
Behind the scenes, the Vatican faced a logistical hiccup when Leo’s ITA Airways Airbus A320neo charter was among hundreds affected by a global software issue requiring urgent updates. The update was mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency after it was linked to a JetBlue aircraft incident involving a sudden altitude drop.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that technical staff and the software component were en route to Istanbul to resolve the issue ahead of the pope’s scheduled departure to Beirut, Lebanon, for the next leg of his trip on Sunday.
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