On his first foreign trip as pope, Leo XIV encourages Turkey’s Christians, government and Islamic leaders to work together for peace and unity.

Pope Leo XIV started the second day of his trip to Turkey with a visit to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday. Leo was following in the footsteps of his recent predecessors, who all made high-profile visits to the mosque in a gesture of respect to Turkey’s Muslim majority.

Pope Leo XIV marked the start of Advent on Saturday with an appeal for unity and peace, telling thousands gathered for Mass in Istanbul that Christians “journey as if on a bridge that connects earth to Heaven,

Pope Leo XIV makes historic first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon, marking 1,700 years since Council of Nicaea while supporting persecuted Christians.

Ahead of his visit, Leo shared a Thanksgiving message with NBC News encouraging all people "to recognize that we have all received so many gifts."

Pope Leo XIV prayed with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, at the patriarchal church of Saint George in Istanbul Saturday, as part of his first trip abroad to Turkey.

Pope Leo XIV condemned the use of religion for justifying “war,” “violence” or “fanaticism” on Friday – instead urging Catholics to mobilize their faith and unify others “regardless of ethnicity, nationality,