MILES PARKS, HOST:
Pope Leo visited the iconic Blue Mosque in Istanbul today, the first time the American Pope has visited a Muslim place of worship since he became Pope. This is the third day of his visit to Turkey, and NPR's Ruth Sherlock is traveling with him.
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RUTH SHERLOCK, BYLINE: Journalists watched closely as Pope Leo entered the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, otherwise known as the Blue Mosque, in his first visit to a Muslim house of worship since becoming leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Pope removed his shoes, as is customary, and walked in white socks across the red carpeted floor as he was given a tour by the mosque's imam and the mufti of Istanbul. The imam told reporters he invited Leo to pray, but the Pope declined. The Vatican said later in a statement that the Pope had visited the mosque in a, quote, "spirit of contemplation" with, quote, "deep respect." Previous popes have prayed at the Blue Mosque.
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SHERLOCK: At a cafe near Istanbul's Taxim Square, Can Ertik, a Turkish actor, said he welcomes Pope Leo's visit.
CAN ERTIK: We respect all religion. Sometimes we go to church, pray. I am Muslim, but not problem. I can go to church.
SHERLOCK: Did you do that? You went to pray in a church?
ERTIK: Yes. Church, pray, respect Jesus - no problem.
SHERLOCK: This part of Istanbul is dotted with churches belonging to many different Christian traditions, whose presence here goes back through the ages.
ERTIK: Old times, Ottoman Empire is mixed - Christian, Muslim, all.
SHERLOCK: But as with other countries in the Middle East, Turkey's Christian population has collapsed. It's estimated Christians now make up only around 0.2% of Turkey's population of approximately 85 million people. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his rule, has aligned Turkish nationalism with Islam, a move felt acutely by Turkey's religious minorities. Pope Leo held a mass attended by Christian faithful from different denominations here in Istanbul.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in non-English language).
SHERLOCK: Part of his mission here is to unify Eastern and Western churches. In his homily, Pope Leo quoted the Book of Isaiah.
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POPE LEO XIV: They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. How urgent this call is for us today.
SHERLOCK: Back close to Istanbul's Taxim Square, in a shop where she makes handmade jewelry, Nurda Sen says some people she knows dismiss Pope Leo's visit as political theater. She thinks otherwise.
NURDA SEN: Lots of things change for Christians, other religiouses (ph), so this is a good step for take a good message to the world.
SHERLOCK: She says his visit sends an important message that Muslims and Christians can live alongside one another in the Middle East.
Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Istanbul, Turkey. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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