Pope Francis and the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians have called for an end to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

In a joint declaration, the Roman Catholic pope and Patriarch Bartholomew I said “we cannot resign ourselves to a Middle East without Christians.”

The two religious leaders urged regional leaders to increase help to victims of Islamic State militants, writing that “the terrible situations of Christians and all those who are suffering in the Middle East calls not only for our constant prayer, but also for an appropriate response on the part of the international community.”

The statement was issued as Pope Francis wrapped up his three-day visit to Turkey, during which he attended a liturgy alongside Bartholomew in the patriarchal Church of St. George.

Saturday, the two spiritual leaders attended an ecumenical service in Istanbul, where the pope bowed before Patriarch Bartholomew and asked for his blessing. Patriarch Bartholomew obliged by kissing the pontiff’s head. Following the service, the two men held private talks.

Also Saturday, the pope visited the 17th century Sultan Ahmet mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, where Francis clasped his hands and bowed his head as he stood alongside Istanbul Mufti Rahmi Yaran, who was performing a prayer.

Francis also toured the Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine church that was transformed into an imperial mosque after the conquest of Constantinople – present day Istanbul – and is now a museum. Additionally, he celebrated Mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

Francis is the fourth pope to visit Turkey after similar trips in the past by Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

On Friday in Ankara, Francis called for an end to fundamentalism and terrorism through greater interfaith dialogue based on all believers having the same rights.

Speaking after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the pontiff condemned the Islamic State group’s assault on Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.

The pope also thanked Turkey for sheltering the refugees who escaped fighting and brutality in areas along Turkey’s southern borders where the insurgents have declared an Islamic caliphate. The pope said the international community had a “moral obligation” to help Ankara provide for them.

Erdogan, for his part, condemned groups like the Islamic State, but accused the West of double standards over its failure to confront Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Erdogan warned of what he described as growing “Islamophobia,” saying the oppression of Muslims was leaving them open to exploitation by terrorist groups.

The leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics also met Friday with Mehmet Gormez, Turkey’s top Muslim cleric.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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