Pope Francis (L) and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I give a benediction from a balcony of St George church, the principal Greek Orthodox cathedral, on November 30, 2014 in Istanbul as part of a three day visit in Turkey. Pope Francis held an ecumenical prayer, yesterday, in the Orthodox Church of St. George and a private meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the "first among equals" of the world's estimated 300 million Orthodox believers. In a highly symbolic gesture, the pope asked Bartholomew to kiss his brow in a blessing and bowed his head to show humility. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE