The Pope in Syria - 2001

Published: May 12, 2016, 10:10 a.m.

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In May 2001 Pope John Paul the Second made a historic visit to Syria, and became the first pontiff to officially enter a mosque. The Grand Mufti of Syria, Sheikh Ahmed Kuftaro, accompanied the Pope to the ancient Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where they both called for peace and unity of all faiths in the region.

Photo: Pope John Paul II with Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Kuftaro in Damascus 2001. Credit: Getty Images)

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