Pope Leo XIV visits emblematic Turkish mosque in sign of fraternity with Muslims Pope Leo XIV started his third day in Turkey on Saturday with a visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul. The visit was a gesture of respect towards the Islamic world, fraternity with Muslims, and continuity in building bridges of interreligious dialogue, though the pope declined an invitation to pray in the Muslim house of worship. Pope Leo XIV began his third day in T\u00fcrkiye with a historic visit to Istanbul\u2019s iconic Blue Mosque, entering a Muslim place of worship for the first time as pope. He removed his shoes at the entrance (he actually wears white socks!), following local custom, and according to the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/W30YceDpiT The so-called \u201cBlue Mosque\u201d stands as one of the most important Islamic buildings in Istanbul. Its beauty, its scale, and its history continue to attract visitors from all over the world. It also holds a unique place in the relationship between Christianity and Islam, as several popes have passed through its doors in silence and respect. Benedict XVI visited the mosque in 2006 during his visit to the country. The visit came less than three months after an address he made in Regensburg, Germany, in which he quoted a medieval emperor\u2019s description of Islam as \u201cevil and inhuman\u201d and \u201cspread by the sword,\u201d provoking a fierce reaction in the Muslim world. The Vatican\u2019s spokesman at that time, Fr. Federico Lombardi, said that Benedict paused for meditation inside the Mosque. Pope Francis entered the mosque in 2014 and stood in what the Vatican described as a \u201cmoment of silent adoration\u201d of God inside the Muslim place of worship. After Leo\u2019s visit on Saturday, the Holy See Press Office said in a statement that \u201cthe pope experienced the visit to the mosque in silence, in a spirit of reflection and attentive listening, with deep respect for the place and for the faith of those who gather there in prayer.\u201d One of the pope\u2019s hosts for the visit, muezzin A\u015fg\u0131n Musa Tunca, told reporters afterwards that he had told the pope he was welcome \u201cto worship here,\u201d but that Leo had replied: \u201cNo, I am just going to look around.\u201d A notable omission from Leo\u2019s itinerary, and a point of tension in Catholic-Islamic relations, is Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that the Turkish government designated a museum open to all faiths in the 20th century. Popes Paul VI, John Paul II Benedict XVI and Francis all visited the monument on previous papal visits to Turkey. Francis said he was \u201cdeeply pained\u201d when the government turned it back into a mosque in 2020. Asked on Thursday why Leo would not be visiting Hagia Sophia, Bruni said: \u201cIt simply was not put on the program”. The \u201cBlue Mosque\u201d which Leo visited on Saturday was built between 1609 and 1617 by Sultan Ahmed I. It occupies part of the site where the Grand Palace of Constantinople once stood. The goal was to make it the most important place of worship in the Ottoman Empire. The construction process was carefully organized. The name \u201cBlue Mosque\u201d comes from around 21 thousand turquoise ceramic tiles placed along the walls and the main dome. Walls, arches, and columns carry the famous Iznik tiles in tones from blue to green. Light entering through 260 small windows also gives the prayer hall a remarkable atmosphere. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the only mosque with six minarets. Most mosques have four. Only the one of the Ka\u2019ba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, exceeds it, with seven. This article was originally published on CNA. Follow all EWTN News coverage of Pope Leo’s First Apostolic Trip here. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Elias Turk Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Pope Francis Reiterates Desire For \u2018Full Unity\u2019 Among Christians Pope Francis announces an Apostolic Letter dedicated to Saint Therese of Lisieux What will be Pope Francis’ next trips in 2023? Between certainties and possibilities 22 years ago today, St. John Paul II created the now Pope Francis a cardinal The Origins of the Feast of the Corpus Christi Doctors Say Pope Francis Shows \u2018Slight Improvement\u2019 While In Hospital<\/p>\n