Pope Francis prayed silently alongside
a senior Islamic cleric in Istanbul’s Blue
Mosque on Saturday, in a gesture of
inter-religious harmony in a country
bordering the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
Francis took off his shoes as he entered the huge mosque, before bowing his head in prayer for several minutes, facing Mecca and standing next to
Istanbul’s Grand Mufti Rahmi Yaran, in what a
Vatican spokesman described as a joint “moment of silent adoration” of God.
A similar act by his predecessor Pope Benedict in 2006 drew criticism from conservative Catholics and some Muslims.
Several hundred people, many of them tourists,watched from behind police barriers as the pope then walked to the nearby Aya Sofya museum, once the Christian church Hagia Sophia.
A group of school children waving Turkish and Vatican flags chanted “Long live Pope Francis” in Italian as the Muslim call to prayer rang out across the Sultanahmet square, the heart of Istanbul’s historic quarter.
“We must show respect for each others beliefs. God willing the pope’s visit will help in this respect,”
said Halil Ibrahim Cil, 24, a hospital worker from Istanbul.
“We want to practise our religion in peace. We want people to understand Islam. We don’t want war.”
This is what religious and Godly leaders should preach,tolerance and Oneness of God creations. Long live the pope.
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