Istanbul
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Pope gives Catholics in Turkey Advent ‘resolutions’ to build bridges
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 30, 2025With their different rites, cultures, languages and races, Catholics find a unity around the altar that “is a gift from God. As such, it is strong and invincible, because it is the work of his grace,” Pope Leo XIV said in a Mass in Instanbul, part of his first international trip.
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Pope prays in Istanbul mosque, rallies local Christians
By FRANCIS X. ROCCA, Catholic News Service
Published December 1, 2014ISTANBUL (CNS)—A day after hearing Turkish leaders demand the West show more respect for Islam, Pope Francis prayed alongside a Muslim cleric inside Istanbul’s most famous mosque. At the Blue Mosque, Istanbul’s grand mufti Rahmi Yaran led Pope Francis to the mosque’s “mihrab,” a niche indicating the direction to the holy city Mecca. He explained […] Full Story