A visit to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is the first appointment for Pope Leo XIV as he continues his visit to Turkey . The Pontiff is expected at 9:00 a.m. at one of the world's most symbolic sites of Islam . He will not deliver a speech, but will instead offer a brief moment of silent prayer. He will then visit the Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church.
In the afternoon, first the meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew in the Orthodox Cathedral of St. George, with the signing of a joint declaration, and finally the mass at the Volkswagen Arena .
Yesterday's highlight took place in Iznik, Nicaea, where a solemn celebration commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the First Council . It was a moving ceremony, with ancient prayers and songs, and a slow procession of representatives of the Christian Churches that existed 17 centuries ago. The event was set against the backdrop of the archaeological site overlooking Lake Iznik, where the ancient basilica where the Council's work took place was uncovered.
In Nicaea, the Pope, arriving with Bartholomew, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople who directed the event, reiterated the message of "universal brotherhood and sisterhood" inherent in every religion . He also called for a strong rejection of "the use of religion to justify war and violence , as well as any form of fundamentalism and fanaticism," and instead pursued the paths of "fraternal encounter," "dialogue," and "collaboration."
Yesterday began with a meeting with the small Catholic community in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. "This logic of smallness is the true strength of the Church. Indeed, it does not reside in its resources and structures, nor do the fruits of its mission derive from numerical consensus, economic power, or social relevance. The Church, on the contrary, lives by the light of the Lamb and, gathered around Him, is propelled along the paths of the world by the power of the Holy Spirit," the Pontiff said. Leo then visited the shelter of the Little Sisters of the Poor, religious women who have been dedicated to charitable service to others for over a hundred years.
