As The History of Jihad explains, the Hagia Sophia, like innumerable other churches, as well as synagogues, Hindu temples, and the houses of worship of other religions, was converted into a mosque in order to demonstrate the victory and superiority of Islam. The secular Turkish regime converted it into a museum, but now the rapidly re-Islamizing Erdogan regime is working toward making it into a mosque again, for the same reason that it was made into a mosque in the first place.
“Islamic Prayers Held at Hagia Sophia,” International Christian Concern, June 1, 2020:
06/01/2020 Turkey (International Christian Concern) – This past Friday, Turkey celebrated the 567th anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. President Erdoğan held a festival at the Hagia Sophia with video displays and fireworks commemorating the victory, as well as Islamic prayers and a reading of the 48th chapter of the Qur’an inside the historic cathedral….
Advocacy groups fear that the celebrations are just a precursor to Erdoğan transforming the Christian Orthodox cathedral into a mosque.
Holding prayers and Qur’an readings inside the Hagia Sophia violates Turkey’s secularist state policies, threatening equal religious freedom within the nation. The Hagia Sophia was transformed from a church into a mosque with the Ottoman conquest, and later into a museum with the creation of the Turkish state. It is supposed to be religiously neutral under the current system. However, Erdoğan continues his push for what was once the center of Christian Orthodoxy to be converted into a mosque, further alienating the country’s small Christian community and ignoring the state’s constitutional secularism.
CogitoErgoSum says
The Religion of Peace celebrates killing some Christians and taking their church from them. Yeah, let that sink in.
SAFI says
Not just some Christian and not just any Church. “The Great Church” as it was known. Imagine the Muslim reaction if the Dome of the Rock was to be turned into a Synagoge “by right of Conquest”
GreekEmpress says
Great analogy, SAFI.
It will always be “The Great Church”
The Turks are just squatters.
SAFI says
I was told yesterday that Erdogan just gave authorization for its official convertion to Mosque, (but said turists would still be allowed to visit like with other historic mosques.) Can anyone confirm?
SAFI says
I’m curious to see Russia’s reaction if this is true
gravenimage says
Erdogan is certainly paving the way for this SAFI:
“Turkey’s Erdogan orders Hagia Sophia mosque conversion study: Report”
The Istanbul landmark was built as a Greek Orthodox church, became a mosque in 1453 and a museum in 1935
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-erdogan-istanbul-hagia-sophia-review-mosque
As for Putin, despite his posturing on the subject, he has been canoodling with Erdogan for some time now. I don’t think this would change much.
gravenimage says
Turkey: Islamic prayers, Qur’an readings held at Hagia Sophia on the anniversary of the Ottoman jihad conquest
………………….
“Celebrating” the mass rape, enslavement, and murder of vulnerable Christians who sought sanctuary in Christendom’s greatest cathedral.
Damn thugs.
And this is, of course, in line with Erdogan seizing the church for use as a mosque again.
Gnostic Turk says
The Christians weren’t innocent. “Whatever you plant, you mow it.” It’s a Turkish proverb. And the Christians persecuted the Pagans when they were strong. Remember Hypatia, the mathematician philosopher who was brutally murdered by a Christian mob. The wrongdoers will not be saved by their wrongdoing. The Christians paid the price for what they did to Pagans. Next is the Muslims’ turn to pay the price what they did to Christians.