Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on Saturday with members of Turkey’s small Catholic community at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena, where attendees expressed joy at seeing the pontiff.
During the Mass Leo urged Turkey’s tiny Catholic community to forge “bonds of unity” with other Christians and people of other faiths as an invitation to become peacemakers.
Worshippers described the ceremony as meaningful and moving.
The Mass took place on the second-to-last day of Leo’s visit, during which he also toured the Blue Mosque and met Christian and Orthodox leaders.