The highlights of Pope Leo XIV's third day in Türkiye include a visit to Istanbul's Blue Mosque, an ecumenical meeting with Christian leaders, prayer with Patriarch Bartholomew, and Mass with Catholic faithful from across the country.

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EWTN News, Nov 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Roughly 500 miles east of Bali lies the island of Flores, a vocational powerhouse that supplies seminarians not only to Indonesia but also to Catholic communities around the world. Catholicism first arrived here in the 16th century, when Portuguese spice traders brought missionaries to the rugged, mountainous island. Today, the faith is deeply rooted, with more than 80% of the island’s 2 million people being Catholic.

Flores hosts several seminaries, most clustered around Maumere on the island’s northern coast. Religious congregations including the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), the Somascan Fathers, the Rogationists, the Vocationists, and the Carmelites all operate seminaries there, creating a dense network of vocational formation rarely found elsewhere in Asia.

Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD, of Ende and a native of Flores, stressed the island’s importance not just for the Indonesian Church but for dioceses and religious congregations worldwide.

“Many of the alumni of these seminaries are working outside the country,” he noted, highlighting the island’s contribution to the global clergy. A thriving minor seminary system also feeds this pipeline, which currently has 650 students enrolled at the junior and senior high school level.

“Once the students finish their school, they can opt for dioceses or different congregations,” Kleden explained. “We do not limit their choice.”

Pope Francis alluded to Flores’ reputation in a 2022 homily on religious life, joking about how some congregations look “to an island in Indonesia” when searching for vocations. The remark, made in a broader reflection on renewal in consecrated life, subtly acknowledged the island’s global significance as a source of seminarians.

A notable institution on Flores is St. Paul’s Major Seminary, perched on the hilltop of Ledalero and founded in 1937 by Divine Word missionaries. It began with SVD novices but soon welcomed local youth called to the priesthood as well as students from other religious orders. To date, the seminary has formed nearly 1,500 SVD missionary priests, with around 500 serving in more than 70 countries worldwide.

At Ledalero, seminarians study philosophy for four years, followed by two years of theology, and complete one to two years of pastoral service before ordination. Those who discern that priesthood is not their calling can leave the program at any time and earn a bachelor’s degree from the nearby Ledalero Catholic School of Philosophy.

According to Father Sefrianus Juhani, SVD, a professor at St. Paul’s Major Seminary, religious vocations remain “quite dynamic.” He noted that annual intake after the novitiate almost never falls below 50, which he sees as proof that the vocation spirit is still very much alive in Indonesia despite cultural and social challenges.

But quantity is never the seminary’s priority. Juhani stressed that Ledalero’s formation aims to shape emotionally mature, disciplined, and spiritually grounded men — priests who are honest and passionate, ready to serve, not to seek fame or social status. The path is long and demanding, he admitted, “but the aim never changes.”

Juhani pointed to the digital world as a major challenge for seminarians. “Our seminarians live in a fast-paced information environment,” he said. “Often this environment propagates disinformation, fake news, and a shortsighted mindset.” Such influences, he believed, make it harder for young men to cultivate silence and reflection, which are essential for spiritual growth.

To protect this interior space, the seminary enforces strict limits on electronics, with Wi-Fi available only during certain hours — a policy designed not to punish but to teach self-regulation and spiritual focus. “Some try to bend the rules,” Juhani admitted, “but we view it as part of their character formation and personal responsibility.”

Finances pose another challenge. With more than 320 seminarians, resources are often stretched thin. Priests and brothers contribute everything they earn, from teaching to small agricultural projects, while families support the seminary however they can.

Even so, funding rarely meets needs. While seminarians are given monthly stipends, they must still manage their own finances and, if they feel they need more, they work the fields for it. To develop economic self-reliance, the community harvests from its own gardens while raising pigs and chickens for food.

The seminarians come from a wide range of family backgrounds. “Some come from well-off families, others from humble ones,” Juhani noted. Some grew up as an only child, others among many siblings.

This diversity, he said, actively enriches priestly formation. Living and studying together teaches seminarians to build “cross-cultural, cross-lingual, and interpersonal brotherhood,” a solidarity that becomes central to their priestly identity.

Daily life at Ledalero follows a disciplined rhythm of prayer, study, and work. Mornings begin with meditation and Mass before moving into lectures, writing assignments, and manual labor that instills “responsibility, teamwork, and humility.” Seminarians cook their own meals and spend evenings participating in choir, writing workshops, and cultural clubs, developing the confidence, creativity, and social skills essential for future pastoral work.

Weekends pull the seminarians into the wider community — mentoring youth, staying with village families, visiting prisoners and patients living with HIV. Their formation is not confined to classrooms. Seminarians are active in environmental advocacy, joining protests against mining projects and helping residents articulate their concerns through print media.

When Mount Lewotobi erupted in July and again in October, Ledalero’s students were on the ground, assisting in evacuation and relief efforts. These encounters, Juhani noted, are designed to cultivate a spirit of service and solidarity, placing seminarians with the people they hope to serve in the years ahead.

“Ledalero is not just a place to learn theology but a school of life,” Juhani said. The simple, brotherly, and inquisitive community life has made Ledalero a living, breathing center of formation in Indonesia.

Each year, new young men arrive with different stories, different dreams, and the same desire to serve something larger than themselves. In their early morning prayers, their long days of study, and their shared meals cooked over simple stoves, they carry forward a vocation that refuses to fade.

The faithful present at the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul on Saturday share their excitement and express their belief that his visit is a message of peace and unity for all.

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Dublin, Ireland, Nov 29, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the operation of Ireland West Airport in Knock as it records its highest-ever annual passenger numbers since three inaugural Rome-bound Aer Lingus flights departed in 1985. The airport owes its existence and success to the vision, ambition, and drive of Monsignor James Horan, Knock’s parish priest.  

During his apostolic visit in 1979, Pope John Paul II traveled to the Knock Shrine, which he described as “the goal of my journey to Ireland,“ to mark its centenary. For Horan, the delight that the pope was coming to Knock was tempered with regret that there was no airport into which he could fly.

Tom Neary, a volunteer at the shrine for 40 years, told CNA that his close friend — Horan — once said to him: “I’ll tell you one thing, if the pope comes again, we’ll have an airport and he will be able to fly in.”

Neary added: “I didn’t take him too seriously when he said that; that was the kind of thinking the man had.”

The dream was realized when Pope Francis landed at Knock airport on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, as part of the World Meeting of Families. The pope had a particular devotion to St. Joseph, who was present in the apparition with Our Lady at Knock, which added to its appeal for him. He prayed at the shrine, recited the Angelus with the faithful, and offered prayers for abuse victims.

 According to Neary, Horan was always fascinated by airports. “If he was at Dublin Airport, he would go upstairs to have a good look at the planes arriving and departing,” he said. “He was always looking ahead into the future. He was kind of a visionary, and he was never happy unless he was doing something to help people. He loved country people in particular because he was one of them.”

In the early 1980s, Ireland was quite poor and lagged behind other countries economically. Emigration and unemployment rates were spiraling, and even for those who had jobs wages were low.

Despite the economic situation and skepticism from Irish media and politicians, Horan pressed ahead with his plans, securing 10 million Irish pounds (about $13 million) from the then-Irish premier, Taoiseach Charles Haughey, who subsequently formally opened the new airport five years later.

There was a shortfall of 4 million Irish pounds ($5.2 million) at one stage due to a general election and a change in government. To cover this funding gap, Horan organized a “jumbo quiz” — a large-scale lottery that he traveled across several countries, including Australia and the United States, to promote.

Neary explained: “For the jumbo quiz, we had to go for very big prizes, and strangely enough, nobody refused us a prize.”

“Once the 10 million [Irish pounds] was spent, the work stopped, the authorities didn’t want to start up again,” he said. “They stopped it, actually, on two occasions. Now, that was a desperate thing to have done, and even though everything was compliant, they just didn’t want the development at all.”

The jumbo quiz offered a stunning array of prizes including cars, houses, cattle, sites for houses, heating oil (which attracted huge interest), and a lot of money.

“It worked, it completed the runway and a terminal building, the first building that was put up there, and was it not for that jumbo quiz the airport would never have come into being because it was dead and buried, as far as the government was concerned,” Neary said. “Now it has the full support of government. It gets grants from the EU Regional Airport grants. It’s doing extremely well.”

The travel and exertions took their toll on Horan’s health, and he died shortly after the airport’s completion. For people coming to Knock airport now, one of the first things they see is an impressive statue of Horan.

Noel Jennings, who now works at Sligo Regional Airport, was a Knock parishioner who grew up knowing Horan.

“He was a larger-than-life character,” Jennings told CNA. “Back when the airport was celebrating its 25-year anniversary, Monsignor Horan wasn’t being mentioned that much and I felt that he had been lost among that generation, not many people knew of his contribution. I felt that something had to be done to mark his contribution and to remind people coming to the airport of the driving force behind it.”

Together with other individuals who knew Horan, Noel set about establishing a committee to raise the 70,000 euros (about $80,600) needed to erect a permanent statue. And, as with earlier appeals and despite the strained economic situation, it was a success. A statue of Horan now greets people using the airport. 

While the statue is a visible tribute to Horan, a tangible and practical economic legacy is the growth of the airport, the number of destinations, the volume of passengers, and the regularity of flights. 

Donal Healy, head of aviation business development, marketing, and communications at Ireland West Airport, explained to CNA how the airport currently services 22 destinations in the summer and 11 in the winter. Over 950,000 passengers will have used the airport in 2025 — over 100,000 more than the previous year.

“A key presence since 1989 is Ryanair, who has had 12 million passengers use the airport. London traffic accounts for 400,000 passengers annually. The airport now provides employment for over 200 people, with a knock-on effect for local businesses and community,” Healy said.

He added: “On a practical level the presence of the airport enables members of the Irish diaspora with a means to travel directly back to visit relatives in the heart of the west of Ireland, maintaining valuable family, parish, and community contacts.”

The days of large-volume pilgrimage charter flights are gone, but Knock Shrine still welcomes 1.5 million visitors every year, many using the airport.

These lasting benefits of economic sustainability, employment, inward investment, and the continuing appeal of the Knock Shrine are a lasting testimony to Horan’s vision, his faith in the local people, the local business community, the people of Ireland, and most of all, his faith in God.

ISTANBUL (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV, like his two immediate predecessors, visited the so-called Blue Mosque in Turkey's capital; he spent about 20 minutes inside but did not appear to pause for prayer as Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis had done.

Instead, he listened to Askin Musa Tunca, the mosque's muezzin who calls people to prayer five times a day, explain the building, its construction and how Muslims pray. And the pope asked questions. 

Tunca told reporters afterward that the mosque is "the house of Allah -- it's not my house; it's not your house," and so he told Pope Leo he could pray if he wanted. "'That's OK,' he said, he wanted to see the mosque."

Reporters pressed Tunca, asking again if the pope prayed. "Maybe to himself, I don't know," he responded.

The Vatican press office said afterward that Pope Leo visited the mosque "in a spirit of reflection and attentive listening, with deep respect for the place and for the faith of those who gather there in prayer."

As is customary, Pope Leo removed his shoes in the courtyard before entering the mosque in white socks. 

Formally called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Muslim house of prayer was complete in 1617 and is known as the Blue Mosque because of the more than 21,000 blue tiles that decorate its walls, arches and domes. The tiles come from Iznik, site of the ancient Nicaea, which Pope Leo had visited the day before.

Leaving the mosque, Pope Leo noted to Tunca that they were going through a doorway with a sign that said, "No exit." The muezzin replied that the sign was for tourists but, if the pope preferred, "you do not have to go out. You can stay here."

Pope Benedict XVI had visited the Blue Mosque in 2006, and Pope Francis toured it in 2015. Both had paused for a moment of silence facing the mihrab, which indicates the direction of the Islamic holy city of Mecca. St. John Paul II was the first pontiff to visit a mosque when he went to the Umayyad mosque in Damascus, Syria, in 2001. 

In late October Pope Leo had led Vatican celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council's document on relations with other world religions. The bishops at Vatican II said Catholics have esteem for their Muslim brothers and sisters, who "adore the one God, living and subsisting in himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth," and "they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even his inscrutable decrees."
 

Presiding over Mass in Istanbul, Türkiye, Pope Leo XIV urges everyone to take time to reflect during the Advent season on the three bonds of unity we are all called to build: within the community, in ecumenical relations, and with members of different faiths.

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Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 29, 2025 / 03:10 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV started his third day in Turkey on Saturday with a visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul. The visit was a gesture of respect toward the Islamic world, fraternity with Muslims, and continuity in building bridges of interreligious dialogue, though the pope declined an invitation to pray in the Muslim house of worship.

The so-called “Blue Mosque” stands as one of the most important Islamic buildings in Istanbul. Its beauty, its scale, and its history continue to attract visitors from all over the world. It also holds a unique place in the relationship between Christianity and Islam, as several popes have passed through its doors in silence and respect.

Benedict XVI visited the mosque in 2006 during his visit to the country. The visit came less than three months after an address he made in Regensburg, Germany, in which he quoted a medieval emperor’s description of Islam as “evil and inhuman” and “spread by the sword,” provoking a fierce reaction in the Muslim world. The Vatican’s spokesman at that time, Father Federico Lombardi, said that Benedict paused for meditation inside the mosque. Pope Francis entered the mosque in 2014 and stood in what the Vatican described as a “moment of silent adoration” of God inside the Muslim place of worship.

After Leo’s visit on Saturday, the Holy See Press Office said in a statement that “the pope experienced the visit to the mosque in silence, in a spirit of reflection and attentive listening, with deep respect for the place and for the faith of those who gather there in prayer.”

One of the pope’s hosts for the visit, muezzin Aşgın Musa Tunca, told reporters afterward that he had told the pope he was welcome “to worship here” but that Leo had replied: “No, I am just going to look around.”

A notable omission from Leo’s itinerary, and a point of tension in Catholic-Islamic relations, is Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that the Turkish government designated a museum open to all faiths in the 20th century. Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis all visited the monument on previous papal visits to Turkey. Francis said he was “deeply pained” when the government turned it back into a mosque in 2020.

Asked on Thursday why Leo would not be visiting Hagia Sophia, Bruni said: “It simply was not put on the program.”

The “Blue Mosque,” which Leo visited on Saturday, was built between 1609 and 1617 by Sultan Ahmed I. It occupies part of the site where the Grand Palace of Constantinople once stood. The goal was to make it the most important place of worship in the Ottoman Empire.

The construction process was carefully organized. The name “Blue Mosque” comes from approximately 21,000 turquoise ceramic tiles placed along the walls and the main dome. Walls, arches, and columns carry the famous Iznik tiles in tones from blue to green. Light entering through 260 small windows also gives the prayer hall a remarkable atmosphere.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the only mosque with six minarets. Most mosques have four. Only one of the Ka’ba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, exceeds it, with seven.

Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to Father Federico Lombardi as Father Pietro Lombardi. The story has been updated with the correct name. (Published Nov. 29, 2025)

Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I are joined by ecclesial leaders representing the vast majority of the Christian world for an ecumenical encounter to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

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During his Apostolic Journey to Türkiye, Pope Leo XIV joins the Ecumenical Patriarch for a prayer service at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Istanbul.

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Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I sign a Joint Declaration in Istanbul reaffirming their commitment to the path toward full communion and forcefully rejecting any use of religion to justify violence.

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