STORY: Pope Leo visited Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque on Saturday (November 29), removing his shoes in a sign of respect but not appearing to pray in his first visit as leader of the Catholic Church to a Muslim place of worship during his four-day visit to Turkey.

The first U.S. pope bowed slightly before entering the mosque and was led on a tour of the expansive complex, able to hold 10,000 worshippers, by its imam and the mufti of Istanbul.

Leo, walking in white socks, smiled during the 20-minute visit and joked with one of his guides, the mosque's lead muezzin - the official who leads the daily calls to prayer.

The Blue Mosque is officially named for Sultan Ahmed I, leader of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 to 1617, who oversaw its construction. It is decorated with thousands of blue ceramic tiles, the basis of its popular name.

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SHOWS: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (NOVEMBER 29, 2025) (TURKISH HOST BROADCASTER POOL - Access All)

1. POPE LEO EXITING CAR, SHAKING HANDS WITH TURKISH TOURISM MINISTER, MEHMET ERSOY

2. POPE WALKING IN MOSQUE COURTYARD

3. POPE TAKING OFF SHOES BEFORE ENTERING

4. VARIOUS OF POPE WALKING IN MOSQUE

5. VARIOUS OF POPE LISTENING TO IMAMS AND MUEZZIN, ASKIN MUSA TUNCA

6. MOSQUE WINDOW

7. VARIOUS OF POPE NODDING, LISTENING TO TUNCA

8. MOSQUE ROOF

9. POPE WALKING, SPEAKING TO TUNCA

10. POPE NODDING AND WALKING IN BETWEEN TWO IMAMS

11. GROUP WALKING

12. POPE EXITING, PUTTING SHOES BACK ON

13. DRONE SHOT OF MOSQUE (MUTE)

14. POPE GIVING GIFTS TO IMAMS

15. MOSQUE AS GROUP LEAVE