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Special Report

Hagia Sophia:

Church of the Hagia Sophia with its beautiful gardens and lawn in the foreground

Divine Wisdom now a Mosque

he Quran advocates for religious by the move, and the spiritual leader Ataturk, the founder of modern,
Ttolerance or secularism as of Eastern Christianity, Ecumenical secular Turkey, made it a museum, and
reflected in the Quran, where if says Patriarch Bartholomew, said: “ I am Hagia Sophia was opened to all as a
in a reverential tone: God protects saddened and shaken. cultural and scientific site. It became a
“monasteries, churches, synagogues, That Turkey’s conservative Muslims, tremendous tourist attraction. Visitors
and mosques in which the name of celebrated with joy was not lost to marvel at not only its structure but
God is much mentioned.” (22:40). observers, the very base that President also the layers of history it embodies.

On July 10th, Turkey’s top Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was addressing Constantinople was founded in
administrative court handed down with the decision. Unfortunately, the A.D. 330 by the Roman Emperor
a decision to revoke Hagia Sophia’s action seems like a new script draw for Constantine I. He selected an amazing
status as a museum, paving the way an old story: Islam vs. Christianity— site overlooking the Bosporus with
for the 1,500-year-old former basilica and a revisit of the Ottoman. strategic control of the Black Sea. In
to be opened as a mosque again with The Hagia Sophia is a church built his “New” Rome, he built an imperial
changes to its architecture. A move that in the 6th century by the Byzantine capital that outstripped “Old” Rome.
is not only in violation of international emperor Justinian as a cathedral of the His son constructed the first church
law, in particular the Convention Greek Orthodox Church before being dedicated to “Hagia Sophia,” Holy
Concerning the Protection of World converted to a mosque under the Wisdom. It served as the cathedral,
Cultural and Natural Heritage, but Ottoman Empire nine centuries later. where the patriarch conducted services
also in complete disregard of Islamic It was declared a museum in 1934 after attended by the emperor and empress
teachings. the secular modern Turkish republic as well as the local population.
The recent decision by the Turkish was established in 1923 under the rule As the city expanded, so did the
government to reconvert the of Kemal Pasha. church. In 537, Emperor Justinian,
majestic Hagia Sophia, which was Hagia Sophia’s history contains the whose rule stretched from Italy to
once the world’s greatest cathedral, city’s history. It is a Byzantine church Sinai, dedicated the present structure
from a museum back to a mosque that has dominated the skyline of as an expression of might and piety.
is concerning Christians around Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, It has an enormous dome, 102 feet in
the world as it disturbing to global for the city’s entire history. When the diameter, at a height of 184 feet. For
religious harmony. Pope Francis, Ottomans conquered the city in 1453, nearly 1,000 years, it was the highest
was quoted saying he was “pained” it became a mosque. In 1935, Kemal and largest in the world.

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