Pope removes shoes but doesn't pray on visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque

[Polybius]

Source: Reuters

ISTANBUL, Nov 29 (Reuters) - 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.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/pope-removes-shoes-doesnt-pray-visit-istanbuls-blue-mosque-2025-11-29/

[RandySF]

1. Why would the pope pray at a mosque?

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. His precedessors did, and the Vatican press release had expected him to

From the BBC report:

The Pontiff was seen bowing as he entered the building, but it is reported he did not pray at the mosque, as his two predecessors had done.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gp917zr8no

From Reuters:

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.

Askin Musa Tunca, the muezzin, told journalists after the mosque visit that he asked Leo during the tour if he wished to pray for a moment, but the pope said he preferred to just visit the mosque.

[Polybius]

14. Only in recent years

The only two to do it were Pope Francis in 2014, and Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. Perhaps he thought they were wrong to do so.

[IbogaProject]

17. It said he wasn't invited to pray

So it may be more a reflection of the hosts than the Pope or his group.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. " he asked Leo during the tour if he wished to pray for a moment, but the pope said he preferred to just visit"

So I can't understand your post.

[lapucelle]

26. It may have had something to do with the way that the invitation was extended.

Praying at a mosque and worshiping at a mosque are two different things.

“I offered [to] him, if he would like to worship here, but he said ‘no, I am just going to look around,” Tunca said afterwards, explaining that “they told me” the pope was going to “pray here”.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/29/europe/pope-leo-istanbul-blue-mosque-intl

Leo did not pray at the mosque despite an invitation by an imam. Speaking to reporters after the visit, Asgin Tunca said he had told the pope that the mosque was "Allah's house."

"It's not my house, not your house, (it's the) house of Allah," he said. He said he told Leo: "'If you want, you can worship here,' I said. But he said, 'That's OK.'"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-leo-xiv-travel-blue-mosque-istanbul-turkey/

[ananda]

2. It was simply a gesture of love and respect...

This reminds me of John Xxiii's ecumenical spirit.

Love

[Zackzzzz]

3. When I was escorted into a mosque

in Jerusalem there was no talk of prayer.

[rampartd]

4. what i did not know : shoes of the fisherman

if peter had fished in louisiana the popes would need a pair of white rubber shrimp boots.

leo wears black shoes,, as did francis.

benedict wore the traditional red shoes until his retirement, when he changed to black.

[COL Mustard]

9. I think Peter DID fish in Louisiana.

After all, Cajun cuisine has the Holy Trinity, and if you've ever had crawdads and gumbo, you have probably had a religious experience. And don't get me going on the joys of a good Sazerac!

[Mike Nelson]

6. "Not appearing to pray..."

... seems like a better way to explain. He was likely praying frequently, to himself. The phrase that caught me eye was "Turkey's state-run" religion. Maybe the Pope didn't want to participate in that country's "state-run" religion?

[truthisfreedom]

7. In the early 2000s I took off my shoes in the Blue Mosque

and didn’t pray either, but then again, I’m an atheist.

[MurrayDelph]

11. The only time I've been in a mosque, I didn't pray either

It was in early 2017. President Miller had just issued his first Muslim ban. I went to Portland and brought cookies purchased from a Muslim bakery.

(and I lean more agnostic; until someone shows proof, I don't think there's a higher being, but I'm willing to give a looksee if the evidence is strong)

[Joinfortmill]

8. The more interesting part for me was the diyanet did not meet with him.

There might be a story there, or not. But, interesting and notable.

[kellytore]

10. Being an atheist makes all of this senseless.

[Martin68]

13. But you couldn't help but put your two cents in.

[twodogsbarking]

16. My two cents are in too. We are up to four. Believers are upset when confronted but non-believers are cast as being odd.

[Martin68]

12. Why wouldn't the Pope pray during a visit to a mosque?

[twodogsbarking]

15. Religions sure have nice buildings.

[Wonder Why]

18. So do many museums, the Red Cross and both political parties. What's your point?

[twodogsbarking]

19. Religions have nice buildings. They really are.

That is the point.

[Wonder Why]

23. You're right. That's why they put them on Christmas cards!

[ancianita]

25. Yep, they're built for humans within them to feel the glory of God.

[pnwmom]

20. Since he wasn't invited to (by the person who didn't come) maybe it would have been

disrespectful to pray publicly.

They don't know that he didn't pray silently.

[Warpy]

21. I don't think they expect Christians and Jews to join in the prayers when they visit

Just having a Pope visit a mosque is a pretty big deal. Leo seems to be pissing off the rest of the hidebound hierarchy nicely.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

24. Neither did I!

[blue-wave]

27. I interpret this as the Pope sending a message

against the anti-Christian Erdogan regime. In 2020 Erdogan converted the Hagia Sophia (Once the Byzantine Roman Empire's Cathedral) to a mosque. The site of Hagia Sophia was the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity since the first church was built on the site in 360 AD. In 537 AD the Hagia Sophia was completed and was an architectural marvel as the largest interior space in the world. When the Muslims defeated the Byzantines at Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453 AD, the Hagia converted to a mosque. But in 1935 it converted to a museum by the Turkish government under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, aiming to promote secularism and cultural heritage in the newly established Republic of Turkey. This change allowed it to serve as a symbol of interfaith harmony and a historical site accessible to all, regardless of religion. Erdogan is changing all that.

https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-134/the-hagia-sophia-case/

Now, Christians cannot pray on or enter the main floor of the Hagia Sophia and must pay admission to enter the Hagia, unlike Muslims who pay no admittance fee. There's much more to the story of what's happening in Turkey and elsewhere which would require many hours of deep-dive investigating. If you're interested, I highly recommend looking into this.

BTW, the Hagia Sophia is a short walk down the street from the blue mosque.