Pope Leo XIV visits Sultanahmet Mosque during Türkiye trip

By Sercan Irkin and Merve Berker

ISTANBUL/ 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.