Balgarianovinite.com Under extraordinary security measures, including road closures for motor traffic, low-flying helicopters, and armed patrols, Pope Leo XIV visited on Saturday the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque for the distinctive Iznik tiles that adorn its interior, as part of his four-day official visit to Turkiye.
On Friday, the Pope and Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the city of Iznik and took part in a joint prayer service at the ruins of the basilica in ancient Nicaea, where the First Council of Christendom was held 1,700 years ago.
Pope Leo XIV is the first head of the Roman Catholic Church ever to visit Iznik. The Holy Father noted that the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea is a moment of great significance and emphasized its importance for the Christian world, the Milliyet newspaper reported.
“Today all humanity, wounded by violence and conflict, cries out for peace and reconciliation,” the Pope said, stressing the “unequivocal” rejection of using religion to justify war, violence, or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism. Expressing gratitude to Patriarch Bartholomew for marking the anniversary, “Pope Leo XIV delivered a message of reconciliation, unity, and peace,” according to Turkiye’s NTV television.
On Saturday morning, the motorcade, led by the Pope’s car flying the Vatican flag, arrived at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul’s historic centre. There, the Holy Father was welcomed by Turkish Culture Minister Mehmet Ersoy and Istanbul’s mufti Emrullah Tuncer.
Before entering the mosque, the Pope removed his shoes and stepped inside in white socks, matching the white vestments he wore Saturday, unlike Friday in Iznik, where he appeared with a shoulder-length red cape and a stole.
The Pope and his entourage remained in the Muslim house of worship for about 30 minutes. Istanbul’s mufti recounted the history and functions of the mosque, which he described as “the most visited by foreign tourists and visible from every point in the metropolis.”
After the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Pope Leo XIV visited the Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church in the Yesilkoy borough. The church is known as the first Orthodox Christian church built in modern Turkish history and was inaugurated in 2023 for the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkiye. The Oecumenical Patriarch accompanied the Pope during this visit.
A meeting was also held between the Pope and leaders of local churches and Christian communities in Istanbul, the website Arti Gercek reported.
In the afternoon, the Holy Father’s program continues with a visit to the Oecumenical Patriarchate in the Fener quarter near the Golden Horn. A ceremonial welcome will take place in the patriarchal cathedral. A Joint Declaration is expected to be signed by Pope Leo XIV and Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, followed by a private meeting between the two.
The visit to the Patriarchate is expected to be attended by Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria, prominent representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, and other high-ranking officials from Turkiye and abroad who have come specifically for the occasion.
Later, the Pope and Patriarch Bartholomew I will celebrate a joint Divine Liturgy at Istanbul’s largest concert hall, the Volkswagen Arena.
Pope Leo XIV’s first trip abroad, starting in Turkiye, is closely followed by international media and widely covered around the world. Commentators emphasize that “it may serve as a stabilizing and unifying factor among nations, contributing to a just and lasting peace,” as reported by the pro-government outlet A Haber.
After concluding his visit to Turkiye on Sunday, the Holy Father will depart for Lebanon. Pope Leo XIV Visits Istanbul’s Blue Mosque as Gesture of Interfaith Respect, After Call for Unity of Christian World at Nicaea 2025 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-11-29 12:36:48 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law