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 ...
Pope Leo is culturally and intellectually beyond his depth and talent.
Good thing His Holiness didn’t pick that day to wear those Pokemon Socks his American nephew sent him for his birthday.
Hagia Sofia is the ‘red mosque’ an easy walk from the blue mosque.
Did he kiss the Koran like one of his predecessors?
Well that got screwed up
WAAAAAAY out of his lane!
Doesn’t he know that Moslems kill infidels?
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
Anathematizing himself is limited to JP Deuce so far.
The Vatican 2 documents saying otherwise need to be withdrawn, conspicuously and permanently.
There is NO ecumenism.
I’m so old I can remember when “Is the Pope Catholic?” was a joke.
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.
Constantinople.
“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”
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.
Look whose talking...
And his rationale for this stunt with the Muslim/Islamic community was...?
Stay in your lane, padre.
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.
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