- Bartholomew said that Hagia Sophia is one of the most important monuments of human civilization and does not belong to the direct owner, but “to all mankind”
- Currently, Hagia Sophia has the status of a museum and can continue to function as a “place and symbol of the meeting, dialogue and peaceful coexistence of nations and cultures” – emphasized the patriarch
- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said that the decision on the future of Hagia Sophia is “an internal affair of Turkey”
- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan headed the mosque movement and strongly supports the project. He invariably emphasizes that Ankara does not have to ask anyone for permission
This would be the third transformation of this historic building. For over a thousand years it was one of the most important temples of Christianity and the seat of the Orthodox patriarchs. After the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, it served for the next 500 years as the most important mosque of the Ottoman Empire, and since 1934, by decision of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Atatürk acts as a museum.
Patriarch Bartholomew during the liturgy at the Church of the Apostles in Istanbul said that Hagia Sophia is one of the most important monuments of human civilization and does not belong to its direct owner, but “to all humanity.” He added that the Turkish people are responsible for emphasizing this universality. The text of his sermon was published by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Currently, Hagia Sophia has the status of a museum and can continue to function as “a place and symbol of the meeting, dialogue and peaceful coexistence of nations and cultures, mutual understanding and solidarity between Christianity and Islam,” emphasized Patriarch Bartholomew. Conversely, transforming Hagia Sophia into a mosque “would disappoint millions of Christians around the world and lead to splits.” In addition, this is happening at a time when unity tormented by the coronavirus and suffering humanity needs unity and a common direction.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu said that the decision on the future of Hagia Sophia is “Turkey’s internal affair.” However, the case does not look so simple, notes the German Catholic agency of the KNA. Ayasofya – this is the Turkish name Hagia Sophii – like no other place is a symbol of difficult relations between Islam and Christianity, between Turkey and Europe.
For Orthodox believers, the Temple of God’s Wisdom is still a holy place and the seat of the Orthodox patriarchs – so it is still described in church documents. Thus, “anyone who shakes her with a neutral museum status knows well that it opens religious wounds and causes international criticism.”
Already a few years ago, Mehmet Akif Aydin from the Turkish Religion Office proposed that the Hagia Sophia mosque museum in Istanbul could serve Muslims on weekdays and Christians on Sundays. In his opinion, in this way a compromise could be reached in disputes around this historic temple.
Despite this, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan headed the mosque movement and strongly supports the project. Responding to international criticism in this matter, he invariably emphasizes that Ankara does not have to ask anyone for permission if Hagia Sophia can become a mosque again. If a transformation decision is made on July 2, then Hagia Sophia may be a mosque on July 15.
Hagia Sophia – the seat of patriarchs, a mosque, a museum
Dedicated in 537 during the reign of Emperor Justinian, to be conquered by the Ottomans in 1453 by the Basilica of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia), for almost a thousand years it was one of the most important temples of Christianity and the seat of the Orthodox patriarchs of Constantinople.
After conquering the city in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks, it served as the most important mosque of the Ottoman Empire for the next 500 years. In the Republic of Turkey since 1934, Hagia Sophia is a cultural monument and museum. Since then, neither Christians nor Muslims could use it for religious purposes; all religious symbols were also prohibited. Three popes who visited Hagia Sophia also had to comply with these rules. St. Paul VI in 1967 managed to kneel for a short prayer.
Although Hagia Sophia has not been used for religious purposes for over 80 years, the demands of both Islamic and Christian groups have been increasing recently to allow them to pray or worship under its dome. For Orthodox believers, it is still one of the most important points of their culture.
There is an official ban on holding Islamic services at Hagia Sophia. However, in June 2017, there was a state reading of the Koran in the historic temple on the occasion of the Muslim month of fasting Ramadan. This was met with severe criticism from Christians. This ceremony, with the participation of the Minister of Religion Mehmet Görmez, broadcast by the Turkish state television, is the use of the largest sanctuary of humanity for political purposes – said the Conference of European Churches (KEK).
(pmd)
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