Pope Takes Out Shoes During Visit to Istanbul Mosque

On Saturday, Leo went to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, a 17th-century place of worship considered an architectural masterpiece of the Ottoman era, with ossuary tiles that adorn its walls and domes.

Leo, accompanied by local Muslim leaders, walked through the mosque courtyard and, after removing his shoes, visited from inside with white socks.

The first American Pope, who is a fierce baseball fan of the Chicago White Sox team, recently joked that he always wore “white socks”.

Leo is the third pope to visit Blue Mosque.