On his first international trip, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in history, visited the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul. The visit was a significant act of interfaith diplomacy, intended to strengthen the relationship between Christianity and Islam. The Pope’s tour of the mosque lasted about twenty minutes and was filled with gestures of respect for Islamic traditions. However, he notably did not pause for a moment of prayer, which was a different choice from the two popes before him.
The trip had been planned by the previous pope with the goal of improving cultural and religious understanding. When he arrived at the 17th-century mosque, the Pope bowed his head slightly before entering. Following the rules of the mosque, he removed his shoes and walked through the large building in his white socks. This powerful image was meant to show respect from the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics towards one of Islam’s most important holy sites.
The Pope's decision not to pray was immediately noticed by journalists around the world. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI had prayed silently inside the mosque during their visits. The Vatican’s communications office had to clarify the situation after it accidentally sent out a press release stating the Pope had prayed and had met Turkey’s top religious official. They quickly corrected this mistake, calling it a procedural error.
Inside the mosque, the atmosphere was friendly and thoughtful. The Pope was given a tour by the local imam and mufti and was seen sharing a friendly conversation with the muezzin, the man who calls Muslims to prayer. The muezzin later told reporters that the Pope seemed genuinely curious and pleased to be there.
The Vatican explained that the Pope’s actions were done "in a spirit of reflection and listening, with deep respect for the place and for the faith of those who gather there in prayer." This careful wording shows that the Vatican sees such visits as a sign of brotherly respect between different religions, not a blending of the faiths. By choosing Turkey, a country that connects Europe and Asia, for this important trip, Pope Leo XIV is continuing the modern tradition of popes building bridges with the Muslim world and promoting peaceful coexistence.