Much was written before the Pope's visit to Turkey. It was projected as a controversial visit and a possible security risk. It turned out to be a great success. The very small Catholic community in Turkey felt noticed, appreciated and happy. The Shepherd gave importance to even such a tiny community.

St Peter and St Andrew must have patted each other on the back and drank some heavenly champagne. Their heavenly bliss, however, is surely tainted by the division among their followers. While they enjoy their mutual company in heaven why do not their followers in Rome and Constantinople do the same?

Now they can say that another step in the long road towards unity has been made during the celebrations in honour of St Andrew, patron saint of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The shots of the Pope and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople sharing the liturgy were wonderful.

The Pope and Patriarch greeted each other with kisses on the cheek. After the almost three-hour liturgy, Patriarch Bartholomew led Pope Benedict to a balcony overlooking a courtyard. They both blessed the crowd, then the Patriarch took the Pope's hand and held it aloft as they waved and smiled at the applauding crowd below.

"We kneel in humility and repentance before the living God and Our Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious name we bear and yet at the same time whose seamless garment we have divided," the Patriarch told the Pope and other members of the congregation.

"We confess in sorrow that we are not yet able to celebrate the holy sacraments in unity," Patriarch Bartholomew said. "And we pray that the day may come when this sacramental unity will be realised in its fullness."

Although the Orthodox Church in Turkey has fewer than 5,000 members, Pope Benedict told reporters that the patriarchate's standing in the Orthodox world as the "first among equals" made a visit almost obligatory. "Numbers, quantity, do not count," the Pope told reporters on Tuesday on his way to Turkey. "It is the symbolic, historical and spiritual weight that counts" and the fact that the patriarchate "remains a point of reference for the whole Orthodox world and, therefore, for all of Christianity."

After the liturgy, the Pope and Patriarch signed a joint declaration committing their Churches to continuing theological dialogue and greater practical co-operation, especially in promoting Christian values in increasingly secularised societies.

Benedict and Bartholomew highlight how they "have viewed positively the process that has led to the formation of the European Union. Those engaged in this great project should not fail to take into consideration all aspects affecting the inalienable rights of the human person, especially religious freedom, a witness and guarantor of respect for all other freedoms. In every step towards unification, minorities must be protected, with their cultural traditions and the distinguishing features of their religion."

In an attempt to build bridges damaged by then Cardinal Ratzinger's opposition to Turkish EU membership, the Vatican made it clear that that is not the Pope's position. "The Holy See has neither the power nor the specific task of intervening on the precise point of Turkey's entry in the European Union. It is not its responsibility," said Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, on Tuesday.

A positive turn of events was the Turkish Prime Minister's decision to delay his departure to the NATO summit in Riga to be able to meet with the Pope. Bridges were built with the Muslim community worldwide by the Pope's positive statement and his visit to the Blue Mosque. The 20-minute stop, like the encounter with Prime Minister Erdogan, were last-minute additions to the papal programme.

In a sign of respect to Muslims in Turkey and around the world, Benedict XVI prayed in Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque, his first papal visit to an Islamic place of worship. As the Pope walked with Mustafa Cagrici, the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, to the "mihrab" niche that points towards Mecca, the Grand Mufti told the Pontiff: "In this space everyone stops to pray for 30 seconds, to gain serenity."

He told him he was going to pray. The Pope, his arms folded over his pectoral cross, stood next to the Mufti and moved his lips, a moment shown in close-up on Turkish TV. When they turned away, according to a reporter on the scene, the Pope told the Mufti: "Thank you for this moment of prayer."

The visit must have disappointed those who predicted violence but must have pleased all people of goodwill who strive for peace.