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Pope begins Turkish mosque visit Pope makes Turkish mosque visit
(about 2 hours later)
Pope Benedict XVI is visiting one of Turkey's most famous mosques in what is being seen as an attempt to mend relations with the Muslim community. Pope Benedict XVI has visited one of Turkey's most famous mosques in what is being seen as an attempt to mend relations with the Muslim community.
His tour of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul is only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship. During his tour of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the pontiff turned towards Mecca in a gesture of Muslim prayer.
His plans to visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, a site heavy with Christian and Muslim symbolism, brought dozens of protesters onto the streets. It marks only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship.
The Pope's trip has been overshadowed by his recent comments about Islam. Earlier, the Pope visited the nearby Hagia Sophia Museum - a site heavy with Christian and Muslim symbolism - drawing a large crowd of protesters.
Dozens of people linked to an Islamist-nationalist party demonstrated against the Pope's plans to visit the domed complex that was once a Christian centre before becoming a mosque and eventually, a museum. The tour of the Blue Mosque, across the square from Hagia Sophia, was a last-minute addition to the schedule - part of efforts by the Pope to mend the damage his comments on Islam in September caused across the Muslim world.
They claimed the Pope's visit was an affront to the secularism enshrined in Turkey's constitution, as well as an attempt to stake a Catholic claim to the Hagia Sophia site. The divisions which exist among Christians are a scandal to the world Pope Benedict XVI
They have said any hint of a prayer there would be deeply offensive. Speaking to an academic audience in Germany, the Pope quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterised Islam as a violent religion.
Prayer watch While the Pope insisted the remarks did not reflect his own views, the speech was widely reported and caused anger across the Islamic world.
The third day of the Pope's trip to Turkey began with a mass celebrated by the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Street protests
name="story"> The Pope spent half an hour in Hagia Sophia, a domed complex that was once a Christian centre before becoming a mosque and eventually, a museum.
Dozens of people linked to an Islamist-nationalist party demonstrated against the Pope's visit, saying the 79-year-old pontiff's visit was an affront to the secularism enshrined in Turkey's constitution, as well as an attempt to stake a Catholic claim to the Hagia Sophia site.
They had warned that any hint of a prayer there would be deeply offensive, but the Pope refrained from any religious gesture, such as praying or crossing himself.
The BBC's David Willey in Istanbul says the Pope has been performing a delicate balancing act during his trip between creating better relations with the Orthodox church, while also reaching out to Muslims.
The third day of the Pope's trip to Turkey began with a liturgical celebration by the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
See a map of where Orthodox and Catholic Europe meet
A prime reason for Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey has been to heal the centuries-old rift between the two Churches.A prime reason for Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey has been to heal the centuries-old rift between the two Churches.
href="#map" class="bodl">See a map of where Orthodox and Catholic Europe meet Patriarch Bartholomew and the Pope embraced and exchanged the kiss of peace and love during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
The kiss of peace is considered a sign of reconciliation and a symbol of fellowship of the faithful.
During the liturgy, the Pope read out a prayer in English, and was presented with a special copy of the Bible by Patriarch Bartholomew.
"The divisions which exist among Christians are a scandal to the world," the Pope said after the meeting."The divisions which exist among Christians are a scandal to the world," the Pope said after the meeting.
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says this day's activities are heavy with symbolism.
HAVE YOUR SAY This visit is an opportunity to show that a Muslim country can be secular, free and democratic Onur, Istanbul Send us your comments Read our online debateHAVE YOUR SAY This visit is an opportunity to show that a Muslim country can be secular, free and democratic Onur, Istanbul Send us your comments Read our online debate
The tour of the Blue Mosque - across the square from Hagia Sophia - was a last-minute addition to the schedule and is seen as a major gesture of goodwill to Muslims.
It is part of efforts by Pope Benedict to mend the damage his comments on Islam in September caused across the Muslim world.
Speaking to an academic audience in Germany, the Pope quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterised Islam as a violent religion.
While the Pope insisted the remarks did not reflect his own views, the speech was widely reported and caused anger across the Islamic world.
WHERE EAST MEETS WEST Kosovo is an overwhelmingly Muslim province of Serbia, pushing for independenceIn Lviv and other western parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church predominates - a church that follows Eastern rites but vows allegiance to RomeRepublika Srpska is the Serb part of BosniaCyprus is divided between the Greek, Orthodox south and the breakaway Turkish, Muslim northWHERE EAST MEETS WEST Kosovo is an overwhelmingly Muslim province of Serbia, pushing for independenceIn Lviv and other western parts of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church predominates - a church that follows Eastern rites but vows allegiance to RomeRepublika Srpska is the Serb part of BosniaCyprus is divided between the Greek, Orthodox south and the breakaway Turkish, Muslim north
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