Pope Francis arrived in Constantinople on Saturday afternoon, following his official visit in Ankara as head of the Vatican State.

Upon his arrival at the Church of St. George, the principal Greek Orthodox cathedral still in use in Istanbul and also the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Pope was greeted with the ringing of church bells and received at the patriarchal gate by the Elder Metropolitans of Nicaea and Chalcedon. Then, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew escorted the Pope into the Patriarchal Cathedral.

The two leaders blessed the worshippers that had come to attend the Doxology Service at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered Pope Francis an icon of St. George painted on Mt. Athos and Pope Francis gave to His All-Holiness a facsimile copy of an 11th century Greek manuscript from the Vatican library and a copy of 9th century mosaic of Christ from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

On Sunday morning, November 30th, Pope Francis will attend the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral.