Category: faith

The Orthodox Times has criticized the Moscow Patriarchate by accusing the Russian Church of “attacking” the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This is in fact untrue. The Russian Church has criticized the Turkish government for the most recent outrage of the Erdogan government which has converted the historic Church of the Savior at Chora.

The Russian Church stated that the Ecumenical Patriarchate was not content with being “first among equals” and created division. This is true considering the destruction and chaos that has ensued in Ukraine. The canonical Ukrainian Church is facing persecution from schismatics linked to extremist groups.

All this is true, and it is to the credit of the Russian Church that it has condemned the conversion of the Chora Church as it has the conversion of Hagia Sophia. This latest outrage on the part of the Turkish authorities is further evidence that the schism in Orthodoxy over the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s intervention in Ukraine must come to an end. The Greek world faces serious threats from Turkey, including Ankara’s territorial claims on the Greek islands and the continental shelf.

The Greek world does not need the schism and its aftereffects. The Ecumenical Patriarch needs to settle this schism by convening a Pan Orthodox Council that would rule on the Ukrainian situation. It should be remembered that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo encouraged Patriarch Bartholomew to invade the Russian Church’s territory in Ukraine.

What exactly has the State Department done to save Hagia Sophia or the Christ the Savior Church in Chora? It should be remembered that the State Department under John Foster Dulles in 1955 failed to even condemn the anti Greek pogroms in Constantinople that set the stage for the destruction of the Patriarchate’s flock. The State Department has done nothing for the theological school of Halki either.

The Greek world is suffering the loss of important shrines in Constantinople. Both Greece and Cyprus are are the targets of Turkish aggression. The Greek world needs to remain on friendly terms with America, Russia, Europe, and other parties in order to resist Turkey.

Resolving the Ukrainian Church dispute according to the ruling of a pan Orthodox synod will remove a spiritual crisis from the Greek Churches and restore their relations with the Russian Church and the other local Churches. It is time to end this Ukrainian Church crisis and for Constantinople’s “supporters” to stop with the cheap shots at the Russian Church.

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America appeared at the Democratic National Convention and offered a prayer for Presidential nominee Joe Biden. On the one hand, we are taught by the Church to pray for our leaders irrespective of ideology or party affiliation. During the divine liturgy bishops and priests always pray for the head of state irrespective of political affiliation.

It is one thing to pray for our President whoever it may be in Church services. It is quite another to pray for a Presidential candidate who represents a political party that is fervently anti Christian. One could argue he is simply offering up a blessing to a man who may be elected to the Presidency. We will see if the Archbishop will be at the Republican National Convention to offer up prayers for the current President.

Greek Orthodox faithful in America should be concerned about the Democratic Party. The Democrats are rabidly anti Christian. Groups such as “antifa” and “black lives matter” make up a huge part of the base of the Democratic Party. The burning of Bibles by these groups should be condemned by all Orthodox faithful. The Archbishop could have inspired confidence had he taken a brief moment to condemn the burning of Bibles.

In addition to the sacrilege against the holy scriptures, the Democratic Party supports infanticide, sex changes for children, and many of its officials who serve as Mayors throughout America ordered the Police to stand down as rioters destroyed public and private property. The base of the Democratic Party incited hatred of the Police and demands the “defunding” or outright abolition of the Police.

Such a disturbing agenda should be a cause for protests by the Greek Orthodox hierarchy. There are other reasons to be concerned about a Biden administration. As Senator, Joe Biden supported the bombing of Serbia and the seizure of Kosovo from Orthodox Serbia. Serbs became the victims of ethnic cleansing following the withdrawal of Serbian troops from Kosovo and it should not be forgotten that NATO bombed Serbia on Orthodox Easter.

As Vice President, Joe Biden supported the destruction of Syria which led to the near genocide of the Orthodox (and other) Christians of Syria. Joe Biden was part of an administration that included neoconservatives such as Victoria Nuland and Geoffrey Pyatt who instigated the conflict in Ukraine in 2014. In addition, Joe Biden has made statements supporting the “autocephaly” of the pseudo “church” in Ukraine, a matter he has no business commenting on.

On Greek matters, Joe Biden has done nothing for Greece. His advocacy as Vice President in the Obama administration led to the refugee crisis from Syria which flooded the Greek islands with refugees. At no point, did the Obama administration reverse Washington’s traditional pro Turkish policies. There is no shortage of reasons why Greek Orthodox should be distrustful of the Democratic Party.

Perhaps his Eminence was just bestowing a friendly blessing. In that case it will be well and good if his Eminence is present at the Republican National Convention to ensure that the Archdiocese is not becoming involved in partisan politics.

The Hagia Sophia diaries are special posts regarding updated news on developments regarding the Great Church of Constantinople.

The United Nations has now weighed in on the matter of Hagia Sophia. The special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief at the UN has criticized the Turkish government’s conversion of the Great Church into a Mosque. In addition the special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights has added to the criticism of Turkey.

President Erdogan’s conversion of Hagia Sophia has brought notoriety to his regime. In further developments in Turkey, President Erdogan has announced that Patriarch Bartholomew will be permitted to resume liturgical services at the Monastery of Panaghia Soumela on August 15, the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Ten years ago, the Erdogan government permitted services at the Monastery once a year on August 15. In 2015, liturgical services were stopped as renovations that began at the Monastery have now been completed. In 2010, when liturgical services were permitted, it was in fact a generous act on the part of the Turkish government.

At present, in the context of the conversion of Hagia Sophia, the liturgical services at Panagia Soumela cannot be construed as a generous act. The Erdogan government understands the emotional spiritual, and historic attachment that Christians have to Hagia Sophia.

The Greek government has been discussing the possibility of sanctions against Turkey. A good idea but there needs to be a good plan and serious action intended to follow up on the rhetoric. Greece has made surprisingly strong statements on the issue of Hagia Sophia. It would be a waste of an opportunity if Athens failed to follow up on the rhetoric.

In other news, the Russians plan to build a replica of Hagia Sophia in Syria. This plan is full of political significance. Russia defeated Turkey in Syria, and Russia is again demonstrating its position as the defender of Orthodox Christianity.

Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev has expressed criticism of the Turkish plans to convert Hagia Sophia into a Mosque. This is especially significant as the Metropolitan is the spiritual leader of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church that has been facing persecution in Ukraine by the followers of the schismatic and illegitimate “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is recognized by the Orthodox world as the legitimate Church in Ukraine.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate recognized the Ukrainian Orthodox Church until 2018 when it reversed itself and recognized the schismatic Bishops thus triggering a crisis in Eastern Orthodoxy.

“O Lord save your people and bless your inheritance! Give victory to those who battle evil, and with your cross protect us all!

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church held its meeting and once again expressed its opposition to the change of status of Hagia Sophia. They agreed on a statement made in recent days by Metropolitan Serapheim of Piraeus of the Church of Greece that the Ukraine schism made it difficult for the Orthodox world to unite against a common threat. In other developments in recent days, the Islamic Society of America came out in opposition to Turkish plans to convert Hagia Sophia. A very welcome gesture indeed!

The Arab News newspaper published two articles criticizing Turkey’s conversion of Hagia Sophia into a Mosque. In addition, NBC News has interviewed dissidents in Turkey who see the conversion of Hagia Sophia as an ominous sign of things to come. President Erdogan has become repressive in recent years and this attack on Hagia Sophia has been widely condemned by many Turkish intellectuals including Nobel Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk and novelist Elif Shahak. Likewise historian Taner Ackam a Turkish academic who has published books on the Armenian Genocide has also opposed the move.

In America, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has declared July 24 a”day of mourning”. I am not quite sure what that is intended to accomplish but the fact of the matter is that the Greek Archdiocese has been quiet for the last seven years on this matter. The move to make Hagia Sophia a Mosque began in 2013 when the Church-Museum of Hagia Sophia in Trebizond was converted into a Mosque.

Since then, the Turks have converted two other Church-Museums (both named Hagia Sophia) in Nicea (Iznik) and Adrianople (Edirne) into Mosques. I do not recall any protests in response to these conversions. In my opinion, these were test runs by the Erdogan government in Turkey to get a feel for international opinion. Having received virtually no criticism for converting these former Churches, the Turkish President was encouraged to prey upon the Great Cathedral itself.

It is only now at the last minute that the international community weighed in. In recent days, the Church of Greece urged UNESCO to be more assertive on the matter. Like the Greek Archdiocese of America, the Synod of the Church of Greece remained quiet until the last minute. The same can be said for the academic community which remained quiet for many years.

Byzantine historian Judith Herrin (an author of very fine books on Byzantine history) had an op-ed published in the Washington Post. A very welcome criticism of Turkey, but what took so long? It is in fact great to see so much international interest in Hagia Sophia but it should have manifested itself earlier than this.

The Greek world in particular has to think long term at this point. In the event that a miracle does not occur (a possibility that Orthodox Christians never dismiss) the Greeks will have to consider what to do then. The Greek Churches badly need to reconcile with the Orthodox world, and this means resolving the schism in Ukraine.

Greece in turn needs to reflect on the matter of its identity and role. It is good to see Greeks taking an interest in Hagia Sophia. Let this be the occasion for the faithful in Greece to overturn gay marriage and the transgender agenda that the former ruling party of Syriza imposed on Greece. Whatever happens with Hagia Sophia, the Greek world must recapture the moral, theological, and spiritual ethos of the gospel, the apostles, and the fathers of the Church which produced Hagia Sophia.

I have ceased all commentary on anything other than Hagia Sophia. I will be counting the days till the dark day which Turkey has scheduled for July 24.

It was said that the Fall of Constantinople was God’s punishment for the apostasy of the Greeks when they signed the false union of East and Western Christians at the Council of Florence in 1439. Today, there are opinions emanating from a variety of sources suggesting that the impending conversion of Hagia Sophia is God’s punishment for the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in fomenting the schism of the Churches in Ukraine. Whether this is true or not is impossible to say. One prominent Bishop within the Church of Greece believes this is the case while some Russian and Ukrainian Bishops deny that this is so.

The Knights of the Fourth Crusade desecrated Hagia Sophia long before the Ottoman Turks. After Constantinople was invaded and occupied by the Crusaders the Churches, palaces, and libraries of Constantinople were sacked. Hagia Sophia was not spared as it was defiled in unspeakable ways by western Christians. Other than robbing the treasures in the Church, the Latins also brought a prostitute into the Great Cathedral who sat on the Patriarch’s throne.

Hagia Sophia is also the subject of myths and legends. One legend has it that during the building of the Great Church in the sixth century, the Archangel Michael came down from heaven and asked a boy where the builders were. The boy responded and said they were eating lunch. The Archangel told the boy to go and call them for this Church needed to be built very quickly.

After the Fall of Constantinople, a legend was told about the mysterious priest in Hagia Sophia. It was said that he disappeared inside the Church so that the Turks would not defile the holy gifts. According to the legend, when Hagia Sophia becomes a Church once more the priest will reemerge to complete the liturgy.

Another story is told during the centuries of the Ottoman Empire. It was said that there was a locked door high up in the Great Church. An Englishman in Constantinople was said to have been hired by the Turks to open the door. Somewhat frightened by what might be behind the door, the Englishman advised the Sultan to leave the door alone. The Sultan is said to have complied with this advice.

In 2016, the Turkish government permitted an Islamic cleric to read Koranic prayers in Hagia Sophia. During that summer, an attempted Coup against the Turkish President ensued. The disturbance of Hagia Sophia was put to rest…………….until now!

“We want-oh mother -we want no mosques, no hodjas to call out, (oh, sweet mother, our lady aid us) We only want St. Sophia, the great Monastery”

From a Greek Song “We want no mosques here”

In 1453 the Orthodox Greeks in Constantinople were hoping that a miracle might prevent the fall of the City. It was not to be. Today we await again and place our hope in the Theotokos. I believe in miracles.

From another old Greek song on the Fall of Constantinople,

“Today the Churches chant, and all the monasteries, and Saint Sophia chants, the great monastery, A high voice came from the heavens, Saint Sophia is taken by the hand of infidels. Let the chanting stop and lower the sacred vessels, The Turks have taken the City”.