Istanbul: Pope Leo XIV began the third day of his Apostolic Journey to Türkiye with a visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, widely known as the Blue Mosque, one of Istanbul’s most iconic religious landmarks.

According to the Holy See Press Office, Pope Leo spent the visit in silence and reflection, showing deep respect for the Islamic place of worship and for those who gather there in prayer. This marks an important moment in his first international journey as pope.

The Blue Mosque, famous for its more than 21,000 Iznik ceramic tiles in shades of blue and turquoise, was completed in 1617 under Sultan Ahmed I. Built on part of the former Great Palace of Constantinople, it was intended to be the most significant religious site in the Ottoman Empire. Eight historical volumes documenting its construction remain preserved in the Topkapi Library.

The Pope arrived in the mosque accompanied by Türkiye’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, along with Istanbul’s provincial mufti, Emrullah Tuncel, and the mosque’s imam, Kurra Hafiz Fatih Kaya.

Pope Leo is scheduled for several engagements throughout the day. After the mosque visit, he will meet privately with leaders of the local Churches and Christian communities at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem.

This visit places Pope Leo among the small number of Popes who have entered a mosque. He follows Pope Francis, who visited the Blue Mosque in 2014, and Pope Benedict XVI, who visited in 2006. Before them, Saint John Paul II made history in 2001 by visiting the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, becoming the first Pope to step into a Muslim house of worship.

Later in the day, Pope Leo will join Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George for a Doxology, continuing efforts to strengthen interfaith dialogue and unity.