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Pope removes shoes but doesn't pray on visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque
Reuters ^ | November 29, 2025 | Joshua McElwee

Posted on 11/29/2025 7:04:10 AM PST by MinorityRepublican

Pope Leo visited Istanbul's Blue Mosque on Saturday, removing his shoes in a sign of respect but not appearing to pray in his first visit as leader of the Catholic Church to a Muslim place of worship during his four-day visit to Turkey.

The first U.S. pope bowed slightly before entering the mosque and was led on a tour of the expansive complex, able to hold 10,000 worshippers, by its imam and the mufti of Istanbul.

Leo, walking in white socks, smiled during the 20-minute visit and joked with one of his guides, the mosque's lead muezzin - the official who leads the daily calls to prayer.

The Vatican appeared surprised that Leo had not stopped to pray during the visit and that he had not been welcomed to the mosque by the head of Turkey's state-run religious organisation, known as the diyanet, as had been planned.

About three hours after the visit, the Vatican released a press statement saying both the prayer and the welcome had occurred, although they had not. The Vatican press office said the release had been sent in error.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: bluemosque; chicago; erdogan; illinois; islam; istanbul; kurdistan; mosque; pope; receptayyiperdogan; romancatholicism; turkey
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1 posted on 11/29/2025 7:04:10 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Pope Leo is culturally and intellectually beyond his depth and talent.


2 posted on 11/29/2025 7:07:05 AM PST by allendale
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To: MinorityRepublican

Good thing His Holiness didn’t pick that day to wear those Pokemon Socks his American nephew sent him for his birthday.


3 posted on 11/29/2025 7:10:24 AM PST by lee martell
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To: allendale
Pope Leo is culturally and intellectually beyond his depth and talent.

The Blue Mosque, or Hagia Sofia, used to be one of Christianity's most important churches.

Pope Leo is preparing for the conversion of St. Peter's Basilica.

4 posted on 11/29/2025 7:11:33 AM PST by Right_Wing_Madman
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To: Right_Wing_Madman

Hagia Sofia is the ‘red mosque’ an easy walk from the blue mosque.


5 posted on 11/29/2025 7:16:49 AM PST by posterchild
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To: MinorityRepublican
These days I'm just pleasantly please that the Pope shout Allah Akbar and detonate something.
6 posted on 11/29/2025 7:19:29 AM PST by KSCITYBOY (The media is corrupt)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Did he kiss the Koran like one of his predecessors?


7 posted on 11/29/2025 7:19:56 AM PST by kosciusko51
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To: KSCITYBOY

Well that got screwed up


8 posted on 11/29/2025 7:20:20 AM PST by KSCITYBOY (The media is corrupt)
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To: allendale

WAAAAAAY out of his lane!

Doesn’t he know that Moslems kill infidels?


9 posted on 11/29/2025 7:24:03 AM PST by Taxman (We will never be a truly free people so long as we have the income tax and the IRS. )
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To: MinorityRepublican
Hey Pope Leo - Let's see. The Vatican now has a Muslim prayer room. The Pope visits a mosque that was once a church in Turkey. I.e., the Muslim Turks are good at removing and killing non-Muslims - just ask what's left of Armenian Christians.

I think the Pope's next step in cementing friendly relationship - with those who would cut off his head given the chance - should be a visit to Mecca where he can join his Muslim brothers in visiting the Kaaba and throwing stones at Satan. /sss


10 posted on 11/29/2025 7:33:01 AM PST by JesusIsLord
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To: kosciusko51

Anathematizing himself is limited to JP Deuce so far.


11 posted on 11/29/2025 7:34:17 AM PST by nonliberal (Russia is not my enemy.)
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To: MinorityRepublican
Whatever these pagans pray to is NOT the Almighty.

The Vatican 2 documents saying otherwise need to be withdrawn, conspicuously and permanently.

There is NO ecumenism.

12 posted on 11/29/2025 7:36:41 AM PST by caddie (Going forward we all need to become Trump, and also Captain Obvious, and Charlie Kirk too. )
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To: MinorityRepublican

I’m so old I can remember when “Is the Pope Catholic?” was a joke.


13 posted on 11/29/2025 7:51:53 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (Annnd....TRUMP IS RIGHT AGAIN.)
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To: caddie
The Vatican 2 documents saying otherwise need to be withdrawn, conspicuously and permanently.

Rome would have to admit error IF it were to do that.

Rome would also have to amend the CCC.

Lots of problems are caused when one moves away from scripture as your final authority.

14 posted on 11/29/2025 7:53:17 AM PST by ealgeone
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To: MinorityRepublican

Constantinople.


15 posted on 11/29/2025 7:54:45 AM PST by dljordan (Yeah, I'm a Boomer and it's all my fault you whiny little bitch.)
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To: dljordan

“So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can’t go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That’s nobody’s business but the Turks”


16 posted on 11/29/2025 7:57:29 AM PST by kosciusko51
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To: posterchild

When we were in Istanbul in 1998, we visited the Blue Mosque first then walked over to Hagia Sofia, originally St. Sofia a Christian church.
The church was turned into a mosque, then was a museum when we were there, and now is a mosque again.
We watched two pickpockets work the crowd around a column that had a face carved into it.
Visitors were challenged to put their hand into the mouth of the carving, but I have forgotten the story behind it.


17 posted on 11/29/2025 7:58:17 AM PST by Blueway
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To: allendale

Look whose talking...


18 posted on 11/29/2025 8:12:04 AM PST by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: MinorityRepublican

And his rationale for this stunt with the Muslim/Islamic community was...?

Stay in your lane, padre.


19 posted on 11/29/2025 8:13:39 AM PST by simpson96
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To: MinorityRepublican

Praying is coming.

He’ll be doing that before long. He just knows to take it slow so as to not raise too much of a fuss.


20 posted on 11/29/2025 8:26:18 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus….)
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