- Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of St. George - Address of the Holy Father; Joint Declaration
- Visit to the Museum of Saint Sofia
- Moment of prayer to the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral and meeting with H.B. Patriarch Mesrob II Greeting of the Holy Father
- Meeting with H.E. the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan
- Meeting with the Grand Rabbi of Turkey
- Meeting and dinner with the members of the Catholic Episcopal Conference
- Holy Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit - Homily of the Holy Father
- Farewell ceremony at the Airport of Istanbul
- 13.15 Departure from the Airport of Istanbul to Rome
- 14.45 Arrival at the Airport of Ciampino (Rome), Deo Volente, safe and unharmed. (Pray.)
Update on Pope's visit to Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque
Istanbul - Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul went off without incident early Thursday evening despite fears that conservative Muslim or nationalist groups might try to upset the visit.... Unlike his predecessor Pope John Paul II who visited the museum in 1979, Benedict did not make a sign of the cross when entering the Hagia Sophia. After the Hagia Sophia the pope was driven the small distance across to the equally huge 17th century Sultan Ahmet Mosque (or Blue Mosque as it is widely known), his first visit to a mosque since the beginning of his pontificate in April 2005, where he made a silent prayer alongside the Mufti of Istanbul Mustafa Cagrici. Earlier on Thursday the pope renewed an invitation to Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to discuss how to overcome the biggest dispute between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, namely the failure to come to agreement over the concept of apostolic primacy.... After his visit to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque the pope was scheduled to meet Armenian Orthodox Patriarch Mesrob II.Visit the Blessed Sacrament. Fast. Pray.
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