Istanbul • Pope Francis stood Saturday for two minutes of silent prayer facing east in one of Turkey's most important mosques, a powerful vision of Christian-Muslim understanding at a time when neighboring countries are experiencing violent Islamic assault on Christians and religious minorities.
His head bowed, eyes closed and hands clasped in front of him, Francis prayed alongside the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, in the 17th century Sultan Ahmet mosque on the second day of his three-day visit to Turkey.
"May God accept it," Yaran told the pope of their prayer.
Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi called it a moment of "silent adoration." Lombardi said Francis told the mufti twice that Christians and Muslims must "adore" God, not just praise and glorify him.
It was a remarkably different atmosphere from Francis' first day in Turkey, when the simple and frugal pope was visibly uncomfortable with the pomp and protocol required of him for the state visit part of his trip. With President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's mega-palace, honor guard and horseback escort now behind him, Francis got down to the business of being pope, showing respect to Muslim leaders, celebrating Mass for Istanbul's tiny Catholic community and meeting with the spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians.
Francis bowed before Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and asked him "to bless me and the church of Rome" at the end of an ecumenical service Saturday evening. The Orthodox leader obliged, kissing Francis' bowed head. The two major branches of Christianity represented by Bartholomew and Francis split in 1054 over differences on the primacy of the papacy, giving particular resonance to Francis' display of deference.
Francis' visit comes at an exceedingly tense time for Turkey as Islamic State militants grab territory next door in Syria and Iraq, sending 1.6 million refugees fleeing across the border.
Francis nodded, smiled and looked up in awe as Yaran gave him a tour of the Blue Mosque, famed for its elaborate blue tiles and cascading domes. Presenting the pope with a blue, tulip-designed tile, Yaran said he prayed to God that his visit would "contribute to the world getting along well and living in peace."
"We are in need of prayers. The world really needs prayers," Yaran said.
Francis was following in the footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI, who visited Turkey in 2006 amid heightened Christian-Muslim tensions over a now-infamous papal speech linking violence with the Prophet Mohammed. The Vatican added the stop at the Blue Mosque at the last minute to show Benedict's respect for Muslims, a gesture appreciated by Turks.
A police officer checks the bag of a Catholic nun ahead of Pope Francis visit to Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Police patrols outside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A woman holds a flag with the Vatican and the Turkish national flags as she waits to see Pope Francis visiting Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Police officers check a nun and other pilgrims as they arrive to see Pope Francis visiting Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A gust of wind blows Pope Francis' mantle as he arrives to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis, left, is welcomed by Istanbul Mufti Rahmi Yaran upon their arrival to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis waves to journalists as he stands by Istanbul Mufti Rahmi Yaran upon their arrival to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis waves to journalists as he arrives to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis waves to journalists as he leaves the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis waves to journalists as he leaves the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis visits two of Turkey's most iconic sites and shifts gears toward more religious affairs as he arrives in Istanbul for the second leg of his three-day visit to the Muslim nation. The Vatican says Francis will tour Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet mosque on Saturday and pause for a moment of "reflection." (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Pope Francis visits Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis on Saturday stood in two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one Istanbul's most important religious sites, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to the mainly Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis visits Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis on Saturday stood in two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one Istanbul's most important religious sites, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to the mainly Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis visits Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis on Saturday stood in two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one Istanbul's most important religious sites, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to the mainly Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis, center, leaves at the end of his visit to Haghia Sofia, which was the main Byzantine church before being turned into a mosque and is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Pope Francis travels to Turkey this weekend amid new Muslim-Christian tensions and a violent war next door, with Islamic State militants seizing chunks of territory in Iraq and Syria and sending 1.6 million refugees across the border into Turkey. In the background the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis visits Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis on Saturday stood in two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one Istanbul's most important religious sites, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to the mainly Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis visits Haghia Sofia, the Byzantine church-turned-mosque that is now a museum, in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. His head bowed and hands clasped in front of him, Pope Francis on Saturday stood in two minutes of silent prayer facing east inside one Istanbul's most important religious sites, as he shifted gears toward more religious affairs on the second leg of his three-day visit to the mainly Muslim nation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis arrives to celebrate a Mass inside the Holy spirit Cathedral in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Meeting with Turkish leaders in the capital Ankara a day earlier, Francis urged Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbaric violence" being committed in Islam's name against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Francis kisses the altar as he arrives to celebrate a Mass inside the Holy spirit Cathedral in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Meeting with Turkish leaders in the capital Ankara a day earlier, Francis urged Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbaric violence" being committed in Islam's name against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
In this photo provided by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis and Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran visit the Sultan Ahmet mosque in Istanbul, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Meeting with Turkish leaders in the capital Ankara a day earlier, Francis urged Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbaric violence" being committed in Islam's name against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)
In this photo provided by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis joins Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran praying in the Sultan Ahmet mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Meeting with Turkish leaders in the capital Ankara a day earlier, Francis urged Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbaric violence" being committed in Islam's name against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)
In this photo provided by Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis, left, joins Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran praying in the Sultan Ahmet mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Meeting with Turkish leaders in the capital Ankara a day earlier, Francis urged Muslim leaders to condemn the "barbaric violence" being committed in Islam's name against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)
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