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.
6 replies on “Hagia Sophia Diaries 11”
‘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.’
I appreciate Russia’s defense of Orthodoxy, but a full-scale replica of Hagia Sophia would be monumentally expensive. At least if it is constructed of genuine materials. The columns in the original are made from expensive and varied types of marble and granite brought in from all disparate regions of the Byzantine Empire. The dome alone would be very difficult to construct and many of the skills used in it’s construction have been lost over time. And that doesn’t even get into the iconography on the plaster and mosaics-which are a lost art today. Of course, a replica could be built from modern materials much like the ‘Parthenon’ in Nashville, Tennessee is built from concrete. It would still be massively costly and would be hard to justify. Nothing can replace the original Hagia Sophia in the hearts of Orthdox, because so much history took place there-even unto the final, tragic days when the Priests recited the last liturgy as the Turks were hammering on the doors trying to get inside. Hagia Sophia will survive the current defilement by the Moslem Turks just as it has survived other challenges over the centuries. At the end of the day, even most Turks know it resonates in the hearts of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide-and they recognize the offense which their President and a small percentage of Islamists have committed.
Erdogan lies again: https://www.polygraph.info/a/hagia-sophia-mosque-fact-check/30739971.html
A good article thanks for the link
The Church that the Russians are planning to build in Syria is a much smaller version of Hagia Sophia.
Erdogan expresses ‘joy’ that Islamic prayers will be recited in Hagia Sophia for this year’s Eid Moslem festival. The ‘in your face’ he orchestrated against 300 Million Orthodox Christians-and in fact ALL Christians worldwide-doesn’t seem to have registered with him at all. Typical narcissistic personality, it’s all about him and his. It’ll by MY joy to watch him get his just rewards when the Turkish economy and currency come apart at the seams-and they will. Sooner rather than later. Sic semper tyrannis!
Erdogan’s poll numbers in Turkey are dropping like a lead balloon on Jupiter. Turning Hagia Sophia into a Mosque doesn’t seem to have resonated with most Turks, they’re too busy trying to put food on the table with a national currency which is depreciating very rapidly: https://ahvalnews.com/recep-tayyip-erdogan/new-turkish-poll-shows-erdogan-struggling-hagia-sophia-will-not-affect-votes