Pope Leo Visits Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Removes Shoes but Does Not Pray — Vatican Retracts Statement

Pope Leo XIV made a historic visit to Istanbul’s Sultan Ahmed Mosque — the Blue Mosque — removing his shoes as a gesture of respect but not appearing to pray during the tour. The visit, watched by local Muslim leaders and worshippers, prompted brief confusion after a Vatican statement incorrectly said the pope had observed a moment of prayer.

Visit to the Blue Mosque

On Saturday, Leo toured the 17th-century Ottoman landmark famous for its turquoise tiles and soaring domes. Accompanied by local Muslim officials, he walked through the courtyard and entered the prayer hall wearing white socks after removing his shoes. The pontiff, described here as the first American pope and known for his fondness for the Chicago White Sox, has joked about always wearing "white socks."

Aşgın Tunca, a muezzin who accompanied the pope during the visit, said he invited Leo to pray in the mosque, but that the pope declined, telling him, "No, I am just going to look around." A muezzin is the official who calls worshippers to prayer and often plays a ceremonial role when dignitaries visit mosques.

Vatican Statement and Correction

Shortly after the visit, the Vatican press office circulated a statement saying the pope had observed "a brief moment of prayer" and that he had been received by the head of Turkey’s state-run religious authority. Vatican officials later said that the message had been sent in error and was mistakenly taken from a pre-trip briefing booklet. The Vatican clarified that the pope "visited the Mosque in silence, in a spirit of reflection and listening, with profound respect for the place and the faith of those gathered here in prayer."

Context and Past Papal Visits

Leo is the third pope to enter the Blue Mosque. Previous visits have prompted similar questions about whether a pope would pray in a Muslim place of worship. In 2014, Pope Francis spent roughly two minutes in silent prayer inside the mosque; in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI observed what the Vatican described as a moment of "silent meditation." The first pontiff known to have visited a mosque was John Paul II, who visited one in Syria in 2001. Over the past sixty years, the Catholic Church has pursued active dialogue with Muslim communities.

Interfaith and Ecumenical Engagement in Istanbul

During the trip, Leo marked the 60th anniversary of a key church declaration on interreligious cooperation, an event attended by hundreds of religious leaders at the Vatican earlier this month. Later on Saturday, he met privately with leaders of local Christian communities and participated in a service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

After the service the two leaders signed a joint declaration rejecting "any use of religion and the name of God to justify violence," and affirmed that authentic interreligious dialogue is essential for peaceful coexistence.

Mass at the Volkswagen Arena

That evening, Leo celebrated Mass at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena before an estimated 3,000 people. The liturgy reflected the diversity of Turkey’s Catholic community — roughly 33,000 people by Vatican figures — and included Turkish, English, Latin, Armenian and Aramaic. A simultaneous Turkish translation was displayed on a large screen. In his homily, delivered in English, the pope urged Catholics to build bonds with followers of other faiths and to work to overcome prejudice.

"We want to walk together by appreciating what unites us, breaking down the walls of prejudice and mistrust, promoting mutual knowledge and esteem in order to give to all a strong message of hope and an invitation to become ‘peacemakers,’" he said.

The crowd displayed a mix of cultural symbols, with some attendees wearing shirts bearing the pope’s image, others chanting "Viva il Papa," and at least one person waving a flag combining the colors of Turkey and the Vatican.

Overall, the visit underscored the pope’s emphasis on interreligious dialogue and respectful encounter, even as the mistaken Vatican release briefly distracted from the message of mutual respect.