Pope Leo XIV visits Sultanahmet Mosque in Istanbul

Pontiff tours iconic Ottoman-era mosque with Turkish officials in Istanbul.

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Muezzin Asgin Musa Tunca provided Pope Leo XIV with information about the mosque’s architecture and historical significance.

Pope Leo XIV, head of the Vatican state, visited the historic Sultanahmet Mosque on Saturday as part of his official visit to Türkiye.

Accompanied by his delegation, the pope toured the mosque, which is renowned as the first Ottoman mosque with six minarets.

Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Istanbul Mufti Emrullah Tuncel, and mosque staff joined the visit.

Muezzin Asgin Musa Tunca provided Pope Leo XIV with information about the mosque’s architecture and historical significance.

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Türkiye last Thursday for his first official trip abroad at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and emphasised upon his arrival the importance of global peace and expressed hope that his trip would underline its significance for the world.

The pontiff was welcomed at the airport in capital Ankara by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and other officials.

Accompanying the pope are Vatican officials, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.