Pope Leo XIV, the first ever Pope from the United States, has visited the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. This was part of his first trip to other countries. The visit was a short, twenty-minute tour meant to show respect between Christians and Muslims.
The trip was planned by the previous Pope to help different religions understand each other better. When the Pope arrived at the 400-year-old mosque, he bowed his head slightly before entering. He also took off his shoes, as is the custom, and walked inside wearing only his white socks. This was a clear sign of respect from the leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics.
However, the Pope did something different from the last two Popes who visited the mosque: he did not stop to pray. This was noticed by journalists around the world. The Vatican’s press office even made a mistake, first saying that the Pope had prayed and had met Turkey’s top religious leader. They later corrected this error.
Inside the mosque, the atmosphere was friendly. A local religious leader showed the Pope the beautiful blue tiles inside the building. The Pope also had a friendly chat with the man who calls people to prayer. This man said the Pope seemed very interested and happy to be there.
The Vatican said the Pope’s visit was about "listening and showing deep respect" for the Islamic faith. By visiting Turkey, a country that connects Europe and Asia, the new Pope is showing that he wants to continue building peaceful relationships with the Muslim world.