Here is a summary of the key points related to the controversy surrounding Hagia Sophia’s reconversion to a mosque, with a focus on the religious and political criticisms:

**Religious and Historical Significance**
- The Hagia Sophia, like the nearby Chora Church (also recently converted from a museum to a mosque), has served for centuries as a symbol for both Christian and Muslim communities.

- Its importance to the Orthodox Christian world is profound, given its origins as a major Byzantine cathedral.

- The Hagia Sophia is also a key symbol of the Ottoman conquest, thus holding great significance for Turkey’s Muslim heritage.

- Some Christian leaders and community members express loss and disappointment; as they can no longer venerate the site as Christians, it raises concerns about interfaith unity and the preservation of shared heritage.

**UNESCO World Heritage Status**
- The Hagia Sophia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its change of use has raised international concerns about the protection and accessibility of such globally significant monuments.

- UNESCO and other organizations fear loss of universal value, with worries that religious conversion may hinder preservation and undermine the site’s openness to all.

**Political Criticism**
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 is widely seen as a political move aimed at galvanizing his conservative and nationalist base.

- Critics argue this move attempts to assert Turkish and Islamic dominance, especially in the context of national identity and control, and is perceived as part of a wider political agenda.

- Similar conversion of the Chora Church/Museum into a mosque reinforces these political undertones.

**Tourism and Accessibility**
- The Turkish government has assured that tourists can still visit Hagia Sophia, scheduling visits around prayer times to avoid disruption.

Here is a summary of the key points related to the controversy surrounding Hagia Sophia’s reconversion to a mosque, with a focus on the religious and political criticisms:

**Religious and Historical Significance**
- The Hagia Sophia, like the nearby Chora Church (also recently converted from a museum to a mosque), has served for centuries as a symbol for both Christian and Muslim communities.

Title:

Content: After Hagia Sophia, Turkey converts a second ancient Byzantine church into a mosque

Hundreds of worshippers filled the narrow streets of Istanbul's Fatih district on Friday to hear the sounds of Friday prayers ringing out from the newly inaugurated Kariye Mosque.

Once known as the Chora Church, the site spent the last 79 years as a museum. But it is now the latest structure to be converted back into a mosque by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020. While viewed as a triumph by many Turkish Muslims, the Greek Orthodox Church has decried it as an "ill-advised decision" that "makes a mockery of the Turkish government's commitment to religious tolerance and religious freedom."

Chora's conversion was announced shortly after Hagia Sophia's, but its opening for prayer was delayed by years of restoration work.

The showing for the first Friday prayers at Kariye was relatively quiet compared to Hagia Sophia, which drew hundreds of thousands who filled the streets with prayer rugs for blocks and blocks away from the building. By contrast, the crowd on Friday was relatively average for a mosque in one of Istanbul's more religiously conservative neighborhoods, where Friday worshippers frequently spill out onto the streets.

Both the Chora Church and Hagia Sophia are 4th-century Byzantine constructions. They spent nearly a millennium as Christian holy sites before being converted to mosques by the Ottomans after their conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century. Despite their conversions, they remained revered by Orthodox Christians. After the founding of a secular Turkish Republic in the early 20th century, the decision was made for both to be neither mosque nor church but simply museums.

"Both Hagia Sophia and Chora embodied Byzantine and Ottoman pasts, and they became symbols of co-existence and multi-faith living practices. Their conversion fundamentally implies a hierarchy, prioritizing the Islamic past over all other layers, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, et al," Dr. Özgür Kaymak, a lecturer and researcher on minority rights at Istanbul's MEF University, told Religion News Service in an email.

Rededicating the sites as mosques is more than just a status change. According to Islamic tradition, artwork of human figures are forbidden in places of prayer, while in Orthodox Churches, icons of Christ, saints and other biblical figures are a defining feature.

In Hagia Sophia, the mosaics of Jesus and Mary have been covered with curtains since the conversion. While Erdoğan promised Hagia Sophia would remain fully accessible and free to all visitors, Turkey reneged on that earlier this year, reimposing an entrance fee on tourists and relegating them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers.

Observers have also criticized the Turkish Directorate of Religion's caretaking of the site, noting damage that did not exist when it was under the purview of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"For us it's a very important place because it remembers our culture and our traditions here," Father Evangelos Markantonis, an Orthodox priest who was leading a group of theology students to Chora on Friday, told Religion News Service.

"Though we cannot venerate as Orthodox Christians, we have to try to find things we can be united on. Only with dialogue and good deeds can we continue our lives," Markantonis, who is also a professor at the University of Athens, said when asked about the controversy.

Erdoğan had long refused calls from his right to convert churches like Hagia Sophia and Chora, telling supporters in 2018 to fill the nearby Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known in English as the Blue Mosque) before they talked about needing to pray in Hagia Sophia.

Nonetheless, he made an about-turn in 2020.

"My dear nation, the conquest of Istanbul and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a Mosque are among the most glorious chapters in Turkish history," Erdoğan said at the time in a speech inaugurating the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

"This is the most honorable day that Islam has been looking forward to, Greek Constantinople has become Turkish Istanbul," he added, quoting the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet.

"The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come out of the interregnum," Erdoğan said in his concluding remarks.

Chora's opening as the Kariye Mosque comes just weeks after Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its largest electoral defeat in two decades during Turkey's nationwide municipal elections.

"The recent conversion of Chora into a mosque may be due to Erdoğan's many problems, including his geopolitical power politics, his appeal to religio-nationalism to revive his electoral popularity after the March elections or his tactic to divert attention from Turkey's economic downturn," Kaymak said.

Many analysts have attributed the loss to AKP bleeding votes to the more Islamist-leaning New Welfare Party, which has pressured Erdogan over his response to the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Muslim worshippers at the mosque on Friday said they viewed its rededication as an Islamic site to be a national win for Turkey.

"This mosque is one of the symbols of the Conquest. We are proud and happy. There are very beautiful frescoes inside. They were also nicely renovated before they were closed. May it be good for our country and our nation," a bystander, Ahmet Öteyüzoğlu, told Turkish media.

"Thank God for these days. Not everyone has the opportunity in their lifetime," another bystander named Mehmet Çelik told the Turkish news service Anadolu Agency, in reference to having been able to pray at both the rededicated Hagia Sophia and Kariye Mosques.

However, Greece, the U.S. State Department and Orthodox Christian institutions worldwide have all criticized the decision to revert the structure into a mosque.

"I want to publicly express my intense dissatisfaction, interpreting the feelings of all Greek women and men, for the completely unnecessary conversion of a historic Byzantine temple, the Monastery of Chora, into a mosque. It is, I believe, an action that offends the rich history of Istanbul itself as a crossroads of cultures," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said shortly before leaving for Turkey for a planned meeting with Erdogan.

"We encourage the Turkish government to preserve and ensure access to sites and buildings that have hosted different religious communities in a way that respects their diverse histories," a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions from Greek media.

"The Turkish government's appropriation of both as the property of one faith group not only constitutes yet another sign of that government's contempt for Turkey's rich Orthodox Christian heritage but further imperils the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the remaining Christians of that land," the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate said in a statement.

© Religion News Service

How did the role of Hagia Sophia change following the Ottoman conquest?

Hagia Sophia became a central Islamic religious site for centuries

What was the original historical and cultural significance of Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine Empire?

Served as the central church of Byzantine Christianity,

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

- Its importance to the Orthodox Christian world is profound, given its origins as a major Byzantine cathedral.

Title:

Content: >
December 9, 2021

Christian leaders look forward to Turkey's new law on religious foundations

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities whose places of worship are entrusted to and managed by their governing bodies

Religious minorities in Turkey are looking forward to the increasingly Islamo-nationalist government making good its promise of outreach to non-Muslims by giving them freedom to establish and run their religious and social institutions.

The Turkish government is preparing to issue a new regulation on the administrative management of foundations linked to non-Muslim faith communities, which have been paralyzed for years by a legislative impasse that blocks the renewal of their governing bodies.

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities such as Armenians and Assyrians, whose places of worship – many of them historic --, other real estate and public institutions are entrusted to and managed by foundations.

Burhan Ersoy, head of the state-run Directorate of the Foundations, has confirmed that the plan for the drafting of a new regulation concerning the elections for the assignment of offices within the foundations has come into being, Fides reported.

The draft of the text has been drawn up, taking into account requests and proposals from the various minority communities, and it is expected that the new rules, after obtaining government approval, would be implemented by April 2022.

The previous electoral regulation for the top management of foundations had been suspended in 2013, after the government chose to establish new procedures to make the management of real estate more functional and transparent.

This led to some confusion with representatives of the various minority communities unable to come to a consensus to either accept or reject the new electoral rules, Ersoy said.

The Syrian Orthodox Christian Süleyman Can Ustabaşı, current representative of the non-Muslim Foundations within the Assembly of Foundations, has said that the structure of foundations and their membership profiles had changed over time.

The Turkish government already had consultations with the representatives of religious minorities to resolve the dispute over board elections for their foundations.

But Ustabaşı now urges Turkish authorities to carry out another consultation with representatives of minority communities before the new text is to be implemented in 2022.

The legal status of the Foundations is still based on the Peace Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 by Turkey and the Entente powers (British Empire, France and Russian Empire) victorious from the First World War.

The treaty guaranteed equality before the laws and the freedom to promote and manage "religious and social institutions" for non-Muslim communities in Turkey.

However, the state had seized properties run by these foundations and had to contend with litigation as these foundations claimed the rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne.

Also, starting from 1936, legislative provisions had allowed foundations of non-Muslim communities to acquire new properties. But in 1974, this guarantee was canceled and the state begun seizing assets acquired by these foundations.

Between 2013 and 2018 about 1,084 properties were returned to the foundations linked to non-Muslim communities, and 20 places of worship restored and given back to the foundations, according to official data.

Greek Orthodox Laki Vingas, in a speech published by the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, said that the legislative deadlock on the question of the regulation of the foundations has had a negative effect on the life of the different ecclesial communities.

The block in the processes of renewal of the governing bodies of foundations had led to the expulsion of young people from the institutions linked to their communities, and also that many voluntary activities were "unfortunately interrupted".

Non-Muslim places of worship

Within the general Assembly of the Turkish Foundations are some 167 minority foundations. The Turkish Greek community has 77, the highest number of foundations. The Armenian community has 54 and the Jewish community has 19 foundations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a cabinet meeting held on October 25 announced that authorities had put on the agenda the question of the elections of the directorates of the foundations linked to religious minorities.

He also spoke of fundamental tools for the management of assets and resources destined for non-Muslim places of worship.

The issue of the foundations come at a time when Turkish authorities have expelled more and more Protestant Christians -- foreigners and Turkish converts-- on grounds they constitute a "threat to national security".

Turkey had also recently transformed museums into mosques, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora.

Both churches had been turned into museums after the end of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of modern Turkey.

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora was built by the Byzantines in the 5th century. The Ottomans then turned it into a mosque after they captured Constantinople in 1453. And it remained a Muslim worship space until the end of the Second World War when it was transformed into a museum.

The same happened to the Hagia Sophia Museum in Iznik, and the high-profile reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul's most identifiable monument.

Many observers believe that President Erdogan, weakened internally by a bad economy and a lack of political perspective, is compensating with erasing part of the country's multiculturalism, aimed at shoring up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

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What was the original historical and cultural significance of Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine Empire?

Served as the central church of Byzantine Christianity,

- The Hagia Sophia is also a key symbol of the Ottoman conquest, thus holding great significance for Turkey’s Muslim heritage.

How did the role of Hagia Sophia change following the Ottoman conquest?

Hagia Sophia became a central Islamic religious site for centuries

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

- Some Christian leaders and community members express loss and disappointment; as they can no longer venerate the site as Christians, it raises concerns about interfaith unity and the preservation of shared heritage.

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

**UNESCO World Heritage Status**
- The Hagia Sophia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its change of use has raised international concerns about the protection and accessibility of such globally significant monuments.

Title:

Content: Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched the reopening and operation of Ayasofya Mosque's Fatih Madrassa — Istanbul’s first religious school under the Ottoman Empire.

The Turkish president has inaugurated the Ayasofya Fatih Madrassa, the first Ottoman school in Istanbul.

“We have taken a very important step to carry our magnificent past to the present and the future, and to bring it together with our people,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the inauguration ceremony on Friday.

“After the conquest of Istanbul, this place was put into service as the first madrassa of the city, next to Ayasofya," Erdogan added.

The religious school takes its name from Fatih (Conqueror), the title given to Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered the city in 1453. It was the first of its kind in the capital of the former Ottoman Empire.

Erdogan said the school continued to operate until 1924 with maintenance, repairs and construction during different periods, but was later demolished by "those who wanted to erase the country’s rich history."

Erdogan said the madrassa will again be an education centre, operated by the Fatih Sultan Mehmet University.

“Ayasofya Fatih Madrasa, which has been instrumental in the training of countless scholars for nearly four and a half centuries, will serve as an education centre from now on. I hope that tomorrow's scholars, intellectuals, scientists and researchers will be trained here,” the president said.

READ MORE: Türkiye to 'tirelessly' continue mediating Ukraine-Russia conflict: Altun

Ayasofya’s historical significance

Ayasofya was built in the year 532 CE, and turned into a mosque after the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who later established a mosque foundation.

The historic place of worship was converted into a museum in 1934, and it regained mosque status in 2020.

Besides being a mosque, Ayasofya is also among Türkiye's top tourism destinations and remains open for domestic and foreign visitors.

In 1985, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

READ MORE: Istanbul Airport ranked second busiest in the world last year

Source: AA

- UNESCO and other organizations fear loss of universal value, with worries that religious conversion may hinder preservation and undermine the site’s openness to all.

**Political Criticism**
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 is widely seen as a political move aimed at galvanizing his conservative and nationalist base.

What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

- Critics argue this move attempts to assert Turkish and Islamic dominance, especially in the context of national identity and control, and is perceived as part of a wider political agenda.

Title:

Content: Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

Turkey's ancient ruins: Explore rich past of Temple of Artemis, Troy and more

Updated on Jan 08, 2023 06:36 PM IST

In recent years, more and more people have been drawn to the ruins of Turkey, eager to explore the country’s rich past. The ruins of Turkey are some of the most impressive in the world. Visit these best-preserved archaeological sites on your next travel

By | Edited by Zarafshan Shiraz, Delhi

The Ancient Ruins of Turkey have been a source of fascination for travellers for centuries. From the majestic city of Istanbul to the ancient ruins of Ephesus, Turkey is a country that is full of history and culture. In recent years, more and more people have been drawn to the ruins of Turkey, eager to explore the country’s rich past.

The ruins of Turkey are some of the most impressive in the world. The ancient city of Ephesus is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world, and it has been a popular destination for tourists for many years. The ruins of the city are a testament to the power and wealth of the ancient city. The city was once home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The ruins of the temple are still visible today and are a popular attraction for tourists.

Other ancient ruins in Turkey include the ruins of Troy, the ancient city of Hattusa, and the ruins of Aphrodisias. Troy was the site of the legendary Trojan War, and the ruins of the city are still visible today. The ruins of Hattusa are the remains of the capital of the Hittite Empire, and they are an impressive sight. The ruins of Aphrodisias are the remains of an ancient Greek city, and they are also a popular tourist attraction.

Exploring the ancient ruins of Turkey can be a very rewarding experience. Many of the ruins are open to the public, and visitors can explore them at their own pace. Visitors can also take guided tours of the sites, which can provide valuable insight into the history and culture of the country.

The ruins of Turkey are also a great place to learn about the country’s ancient history. Many of the ruins are home to artifacts and relics from the past, and visitors can learn about the culture and history of the country by examining these artifacts. The ruins of Troy, for example, are home to many artifacts that were used in the Trojan War.

Exploring the ancient ruins of Turkey is also a great way to experience the country’s culture and traditions. Many of the ruins are home to traditional Turkish architecture, and visitors can learn about the country’s traditional customs by visiting these sites. Visitors can also experience traditional Turkish cuisine by visiting the many restaurants and cafes that are located near the ruins.

Exploring the ancient ruins of Turkey is a great way to learn about the country’s past and experience its culture. The ruins are a great way to experience the country’s history and culture, and they are a great way to get an insight into the country’s past. Visiting the ruins of Turkey is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

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What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

- Similar conversion of the Chora Church/Museum into a mosque reinforces these political undertones.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

**Tourism and Accessibility**
- The Turkish government has assured that tourists can still visit Hagia Sophia, scheduling visits around prayer times to avoid disruption.

Title:

Content: Turkey’s iconic Hagia Sophia mosque to charge $28 entry fee for tourists

Published: Updated:
Read Mode
100% Font Size

Turkey’s Hagia Sophia mosque began charging tourists nearly $28 on Monday for entrance to the landmark site.

The UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its blue-tiled interior, will no longer allow free admission to foreigners, the Turkish tourism ministry announced.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

The former museum-turned mosque has a new entrance in front of the Topkapi Palace Museum open for tourists.

Tunnel entrance at Turkey's Hagia Sophia. (File photo)

The Hagia Sophia was a museum space from 1934 until 2020 when Turkey decided to change it to a mosque. Various historical reports say the mosque with byzantine architecture was an Orthodox cathedral decades ago.

“With the new application that will start on January 15 at the Hagia Sophia Mosque, tourists will be able to visit the mosque without disturbing the prayer environment,” the ministry said in a statement.

The entrance to the mosque will be “provided in a controlled manner through the tunnel and entrance ramp where visitors will be transported to the gallery floor and exited via the ramp in the northeast direction,” the statement said.

“Tourists who come to the gallery section will be able to see the sanctuary floor of the mosque and the Ottoman Period annexes, pass through the heaven-hell gate, and examine the Byzantine Period mosaics in this section,” it added.

Security cameras, fire detection and emergency announcement systems were reportedly installed in the mosque along the tour route. Cleaning and conservation work on the marble coverings and wooden railings on the gallery floor of the mosque was also carried out by restorers and conservators.

Visitors will also have access to a headset guide with QR codes where information on the sight is available in 23 languages.

People visit the Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 10, 2020. (Reuters)

Read more:

Ramadan prayers return to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia mosque after 88 years

Turkey says UNESCO criticism of Hagia Sophia conversion ‘biased and political’

Erdogan names ex-environment minister as his party’s Istanbul mayor candidate

Top Content Trending


Certainly!

Here’s a summary that extracts nuggets of information relevant to your needs, focusing on the controversies and religious-political undertones in the context of mosques and current events (with reference to Hagia Sophia, as per your original query):

---

**Summary of Controversies and Religious-Political Undertones:**

- **Religious Authority and Misconduct:** The text references incidents involving church figures—secret filming by clergy, abusive behavior by monks (like a monk shouting at and beating a woman with a belt), and questionable excuses by lawyers defending their actions.

While not directly related to Hagia Sophia, these examples highlight ongoing scandals and disputes within religious institutions, which often spark public criticism and debates over morality and religious authority.

- **Role of Religious Leadership:** There is mention of the Russian patriarch possibly intervening to support accused clergy, illustrating how top religious authorities can influence outcomes in controversial matters, similar to debates on leadership decisions regarding significant religious sites like Hagia Sophia.

- **International and Political Dimensions:** Questions are raised about the role of international organizations, like the UN, in local religious or political controversies, paralleling global reactions (such as UNESCO criticism) to decisions like converting Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.

- **Religious Experience and Modern Media:** References to priests aiming for wider engagement via social media, and debates about changes in religious practices (e.g., complaints about the length of liturgy), reflect broader trends—religious institutions are adapting to contemporary audiences, sometimes leading to disputes over tradition versus modernization.

- **Social Media Influence:** Influencers and leaders, including those in the Gulf and Turkey, use social media to shape opinion and advance political-religious objectives.

Certainly!

Title:

Content: Father Patrick comments controversy after sharing shirtless photo

Father Patrick is a real hit on social media! In your Instagram, for example, he has over 3.9 million followers and is always sharing different posts with his fans. However, recently, the religious caused controversy by posting a shirtless photo.

In season, the image of the priest quickly reverberated on the internet and ended up on several news sites. However, he was also harshly criticized by some stricter believers. Because of that, Patrick chose to delete the publication.

“I think that photo that really gave me the real dimension of how much I’m known. I had posted shirtless photos before, except it was an account with two thousand followers on Instagram. And other priests post shirtless photos, it’s not taboo.”, he said, in a conversation with journalists Fernanda Talarico and Renata Nogueira, from Splash UOL.

Father Patrick explains that he decided to delete the photo without a shirt, after getting scared by the repercussion of the image. He also remembers that some assemblies were made, putting it as if he were in a swimsuit.

“It appeared that I was in swim trunks, but I was in shorts!”, guarantees Patrick, laughing. “I decided to go out in fright. After two days the Bishop texted me because they had sent him an edited version. And, of course it was montage, I don’t have that whole body. And he said affectionately: ‘don’t post a picture without a shirt, people think it’s bad’.”, explained the famous priest.

Good-humored, Patrick Fernandes guarantees that he will only post photos of this type again, when Jesus returns to the world. “I’ll post one two hours before, because by then I can already be enraptured and I won’t need to see anything else.”, he joked.

Father Patrick’s fame

Father Patrick started going viral on social media in the middle of the year, by posting controversial videos on Youtube talking about wearing bikinis and answering if tattoos were considered a sin.

To G1, the priest commented on the fame he gained in recent months and how he has been dealing with the repercussions of its contents.

“I started recording the funniest videos at the beginning of the pandemic. We were not celebrating mass with the people, the city was in lockdown and I wanted to talk to people who were from my parish. An account of 2,000 to 3,000 people, but I was realizing that precisely these videos with a funnier nature, with a joke, had a proportion. People like what’s no good, serious things didn’t spread at the same rate as the funniest videos”, he joked.

“Monday is garbage day, a day I only talk nonsense. From Tuesday onwards, we start to get more serious. We have to police ourselves because a little word out of context can offend. Today I feel much more stuck than in the beginning precisely because of the reach. I do much more with the intention of bringing lightness, of showing that faith can be associated with a light, happy life, with laughter. It’s not a heavy thing, a burden, it doesn’t attract people anymore”, he pointed out.

Henrique Souza

Mineiro, 26 years old, Graduated in Social Communication, Copywriter and Social Media.

Here’s a summary that extracts nuggets of information relevant to your needs, focusing on the controversies and religious-political undertones in the context of mosques and current events (with reference to Hagia Sophia, as per your original query):

---

**Summary of Controversies and Religious-Political Undertones:**

- **Religious Authority and Misconduct:** The text references incidents involving church figures—secret filming by clergy, abusive behavior by monks (like a monk shouting at and beating a woman with a belt), and questionable excuses by lawyers defending their actions.

Title:

Content: Plus, YouTube closes accounts of separatists in Ukraine, Greece and Turkey at odds over Orthodox monastery, and more.

The Big Story: Macron Shows Cautious Optimism After Meeting With Putin

What happened: After their meeting yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he will look into the proposals on defusing the situation in Ukraine put forth by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, AFP reports. “A number of his ideas, proposals … are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said. “We will do everything to find compromises that suit everyone.”

More context: “President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage,” Macron said, while adding “There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia.” According to French officials, the proposals included both sides avoiding any new military action, the launch of a new strategic dialogue, and efforts to revive the peace process in Kyiv’s conflict with separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Worth noting: Also yesterday, Washington and Brussels said they will work to ensure gas supplies can respond to potential disruptions in pipeline gas flows, Reuters reports. “We’re working together right now to protect Europe’s energy supply against supply shocks, including those that could result from further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a joint press conference with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell

News from the Regions

Central Europe and the Baltics

  • A court in Latvia has fined the owner of a company that broadcasts Russian television channels in the three Baltic states, the Baltic News Network reports. Baltic Media Alliance (BMA) was hit with a fine of 3.1 million euros last week due to the company’s non-compliance with EU sanctions on Russia. At issue is the company’s contract and financial arrangements with the co-owner and board chair at Rossiya Bank, Yuri Kovalchuk, who has been on the EU’s blacklist since 2014. The court also issued fines of 25,000 euros to BMA co-owner Oleg Solodov and BMA Estonia branch director Margus Merima; in addition, authorities seized BMA property worth 3 million euros. In 2019, the Latvian National Electronic Mass Media Council banned nine Russian television programs owned by Kovalchuk.

Southeastern Europe

  • Albania’s Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime sentenced a former interior minister to over three years in prison for abuse of office, Exit.al reports. According to a judge in the case, Saimir Tahiri “facilitated drug trafficking for a criminal group through his inaction and received gifts from its members during his term in office,” Exit.al writes. The case was a retrial; Tahiri was initially arrested in 2017 on drug trafficking charges, but was convicted in 2019 for abuse of office and sentenced only to community service. Tahiri is the second former minister of Edi Rama’s 2013-2017 government to receive a prison sentence, after former Environment Minister Lefter Koka.
  • Authorities in Bucharest are asking Moscow to return the treasure that Romania sent to Russia for safekeeping during World War I, BIRN reports. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Sunday that Romania wants to reopen negotiations on the collection of valuables, which includes almost 94 tons of gold coins, jewels, and art objects, all currently estimated to be worth $5 billion. The then Soviet Union returned some of the collection in 1935 when it turned over 1,443 boxes – with broken seals – that contained old archives, documents, rare books, and religious objects, but no gold. The only body designated to manage the issue is the Joint Intergovernmental Commission of Romania and Russia, formed in 2004.

Eastern Europe and Russia

  • YouTube has closed down several accounts linked to pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, Euronews reports. “YouTube complies with all applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws, including with respect to content created and uploaded by restricted entities,” a Google spokesperson said. “If we find that an account violates our Terms of Service or Community Guidelines, we disable it.” No information was provided about the specific guidelines that the accounts violated. One of the channels shut down last week was the Luhansk People’s Republic Information Center, the official news website of the self-proclaimed republic in eastern Ukraine, which announced that its YouTube channel had been shut down “without explanation.”
  • A Siberian zoo in Russia’s third-largest city of Novosibirsk scrapped the public vote for a new mascot after the poll took on political undertones, The Moscow Times reports. Input from voters turned political when exiled city deputy Sergei Boyko, a former coordinator for jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, chose Batu the orangutan as his favorite, which led to an outpouring of support for the ape. Batu was later dethroned by Shilka the polar bear cub, and then by Sayan, the white snow leopard, in developments that some denounced as fraudulent. The zoo eventually canceled the voting altogether and said it will announce its mascot at a later date.

The Caucasus

  • Azerbaijani officials announced the release of eight Armenian prisoners of war on the basis of “humanist principles” yesterday, RFE/RL reports. The prisoners, who have since returned to Yerevan, were captured in November 2021 during border clashes between the neighboring countries. “The release by Azerbaijan and reparation to Armenia of eight Armenian detainees is another sign of positive developments following the meeting with [French President] Emmanuel Macron, Azerbaijani President lham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan,” tweeted European Council President Charles Michel

Central Asia

  • The trial of a man suspected of involvement in the murder of a Kyrgyz opposition politician started yesterday in Bishkek, RFE/RL reports. In December 2021, Kyrgyz authorities announced the arrest of Sanjar Saparbekov, a suspect in the murder of opposition politician Medet Sadyrkulov, who was found dead in a burned-out car along with two of his associates near Bishkek in 2009. The incident was initially ruled as a traffic accident; after former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev fled the country in 2010, the deaths were reclassified as assassinations. Saparbekov is charged with murder, kidnapping, the destruction of private property, vandalism, and the organization of a criminal group and taking part in its activities.

Borderlands

  • The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that a social media video showing people dancing to electronic music at the former Orthodox Christian Sumela Monastery in Turkey was “offensive” and “a desecration” of the monument, Reuters reports. The monastery complex at Sumela, which is a candidate for UNESCO’s World Heritage list, no longer has a religious status and serves as a museum. “It is surprising that the permit was given to the band, as the Monastery … opens only for pilgrims,” the Greek Foreign Ministry said. “These images are offensive and add to a series of actions by the Turkish authorities against World Heritage Sites,” the ministry statement said, without further details.

While not directly related to Hagia Sophia, these examples highlight ongoing scandals and disputes within religious institutions, which often spark public criticism and debates over morality and religious authority.

- **Role of Religious Leadership:** There is mention of the Russian patriarch possibly intervening to support accused clergy, illustrating how top religious authorities can influence outcomes in controversial matters, similar to debates on leadership decisions regarding significant religious sites like Hagia Sophia.

Title:

Content: FeaturedOpinionTales from the Coffeeshop

Tales from the Coffeeshop: Monk mayhem is all about the moolah

WHEN the story about the entrepreneurial archimandrites, who set up the start-up monastery Osiou Avakoum in Fterikoudi, broke and there was talk of film of them having sex with each other, I wondered how anyone would have obtained the film of them in the act.

As there is no accounting for sexual tastes, perhaps they got a kick out of filming themselves and posting the video on an adult site on which it may have been spotted by another priest who felt morally obliged to report them. The Holy Synod members were reportedly shocked when shown the film at their meeting to discuss what they should do about the clerical debauchery.

It later emerged that there was CCTV footage of the archimandrites discussing where to hide the 800 grand they had stashed in the monastery safe and preparing to stage miracles. Were they so stupid doing all these things when they knew there was CCTV in their monastery?

The truth is they did not have a clue CCTV had been installed all over the monastery, including their private quarters and was hidden from view. These were hi tech surveillance cameras that had been installed when the two had gone on a trip abroad.

THERE is only one person, who could have given such orders – the Bishop of Tamassos and Orini, Isaias, who did not even bother to pretend he had nothing to do with this. It was Isaias who handed over the CCTV footage of the goings at the monastery to the police and who provided the holy synod with the sex footage.

The bishop’s brother is a surveillance expert working for our secret service Kyp and was perfectly capable of setting up the CCTV network, although there is no evidence he was in any way involved. Isaias also has very good ties with Russian oligarchs who paid for his palatial bishopric, built in the architectural style of Russian churches.

One of the Russian benefactors could have called in the FSB to install the cameras, although this is pure speculation. If the FSB was involved it would probably have recommended the use of Novichok, a more effective way of dealing with the troublesome two.

Nothing was made of the fact that Isaias was secretly filming the activities of Nektarios and Porfyrios, probably because it is not prohibited by the Church.

FOOTAGE of the activities at the monastery were leaked to the media all last week, by the person who was in possession of the CCTV recording but his name was mentioned by nobody.

First we had Porfyrios and Nektarios discussing where to hide the 800 grand; then there was Nektarios giving orders to monks to put myrrh in the cross so it would be secreted and give a pleasant smell to the faithful who would be convinced they witnessed a miracle. There was also film of a monk shouting at a woman and hitting her with a belt.

The funny bit was that the lawyers of the monks would issue a ludicrously lame explanation for each of these. In the case of the myrrh, they provided a “written testimony, with certification for the authenticity of the signature of worshipper from Greece.” The witness was in Nektarios’ office and “saw with his own eyes bottles of methylated and antiseptic which was used with cotton wool to clean all holy relics.”

The witness also said that the head of a baby on which the sign of the cross had been done with the crucifix of Saint Porfyrios smelt of myrrh for five days. This was also in the written testimony.

THE BEST explanation, however was the woman being beaten with a belt, claiming it was her fault. It must have been a holy belt she was hit with to make her take the blame for her beating.

In a post on her Facebook page, the woman, who works at the monastery, said “I am greatly saddened that you were forced to see a specific video which ‘shows’ in a harsh way that I was subjected to a ‘brutal beating’ by a monk of the Osiou Avakoum monastery.” She added that the video had been tampered with.

“Yes, we had a scuffle with the monk, which resulted from a misunderstanding for which I was to blame.” The misunderstanding was sorted, she said, and our relations are “very good.” She also pointed out that the incident took place last August, but she was still at the monastery.

The sinister Isaias had been filming the goings-on at the monastery since August. I can’t help thinking that the recordings he collected could be turned into a big hit as a reality TV show.

YOU DO NOT have to be a detective to realise that the row between Isaias and the monks is all about the moollah. The entrepreneurial monks were making a lot of moollah through the successful miracle business they had set up and claimed they were regularly giving a cut to Isaias. Perhaps they fell out because the bishop wanted a bigger cut.

They claimed to have contributed some 300 grand to the bishop’s election campaign for the archiepiscopal throne and insist they had documentation of money transfers as well as SMS messages from Isaias demanding payment.

It is rather embarrassing for a bishop to be cashing in on a fake miracle business, that so brazenly exploited the weak and vulnerable, but by making the scam public, Isaias may have scripted his own downfall. Unless the Russian patriarch steps in to save one of his own.

THE TIMING of Prezniktwo’s visit to the monasteries of Mount Athos could not have been worse. This was a time to keep a safe distance away from monks and monasteries, but our devout, churchgoing prez could not cancel his visit to the Holy Mount a second time.

He had planned to visit in October, but put it off because of the events in Gaza, his sense of duty preventing him from making the holy trip. But there is popularity to be gained from the faithful by visiting Mount Athos so the visit could not be put off again.

In his address at one church, he beseeched the holy fathers “to multiply your prayers and warm supplications to the Lord and the most holy Mother of God for the passing of the sufferings and sorrows of our country Cyprus…. The Holy Mount teaches that God is present in the shaping of the history of the world.”

What was the point of asking the UN to get involved in the Cyprob when we could pray not just for a resumption of the talks, but also a fair and just settlement that would end our sufferings and sorrows?

SPEAKING of the Cyprob, a few digs against the UNSG’s envoy Maria Angela Holguin have made an appearance. If anything, media attacks on her have been almost non-existent, which is a sad break from a proud tradition upheld for decades. Perhaps it is because after two visits she has said almost nothing in public.

On Monday however, some self-regarding Alpha TV reporter fired the first salvos. First, he said Holguin was being guided by British ideas – the Brits being the anti-christ of the Cyprob. Worse still, one of her chosen associates, a former deputy foreign minister of Colombia, had greeted the Turkish president at the airport in Bogota, emphatic proof she was pro-Turkish.

Clips of the visit were shown, before the reporter ominously stated, “this lady will be the assistant of Holguin.”

DIKO issued a statement to pay its respect to former president Spy Kyp, our establishment’s all-time hero, on the 22nd anniversary of his death last Tuesday. Twenty-two years after the passing of the Diko founder (is that something he should be praised for?), the party “continues his struggle, faithful to his legacies, for a solution that will secure the continued existence of the Cyprus Republic.”

Spy’s only legacy is ‘no solution’ and Diko says as much in its announcement. “He resisted pressures to accept undignified, one-sided, and catastrophic plans for the future of Cypriot Hellenism and the Cyprus Republic.” He should be particularly praised for resisting the catastrophic American-Canadian-British plan of 1978 which would have allowed the residents of Varosha to return to their homes, regardless of the outcome of the peace process that would have followed.

He was a true fighter of the resistance, not to mention his heroic efforts to establish rusfeti.

I APOLOGISE for the heavy reliance on religious content today. Secular services will resume next week.

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- **International and Political Dimensions:** Questions are raised about the role of international organizations, like the UN, in local religious or political controversies, paralleling global reactions (such as UNESCO criticism) to decisions like converting Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.

- **Religious Experience and Modern Media:** References to priests aiming for wider engagement via social media, and debates about changes in religious practices (e.g., complaints about the length of liturgy), reflect broader trends—religious institutions are adapting to contemporary audiences, sometimes leading to disputes over tradition versus modernization.

- **Social Media Influence:** Influencers and leaders, including those in the Gulf and Turkey, use social media to shape opinion and advance political-religious objectives.

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Content:

The Crown Prince of Dubai is among the most active leaders on social media. Even as he posts details about his adventures, official engagements and inspirational fitness routines, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also finds the time to encourage talented individuals.

Two such lucky photographers who got ‘liked’ by the Dubai Crown Prince on Instagram are Indian resident Nishas Ahmed and Pakistani expat Altamash Javad.

A freelance photographer, Nishas had just returned from his day job last week when a notification on his Instagram made his eyes pop. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that Sheikh Hamdan had commented,” he said. “I checked and rechecked my account at least 20 times to make sure that it was not a fake account. After a while, my friends and family found out and they were overjoyed.”

The 24-year-old, who landed in Dubai in early 2019, had taken the photograph in November the same year when an international yoga practitioner came to the country. “We wanted to take some shots and when we asked Shangri-La, they gave us permission to shoot within their premises,” he said.

However, it wasn’t until a few weeks ago that Nishas got around to posting the photo. “Because photography is something I do in my free time, it sometimes takes time to go through all my photos, find the best and post,” he said. “I never imagined that this is the response I would get.”

Meanwhile, Altamash (@aljvd) is a professional photographer whose photos have been ‘liked’ and commented on by Sheikh Hamdan several times in the past. “The first instance was back in 2016,” he said. “Instagram had featured one of my photos, so he came to my page and commented on it. My friends actually were the first to notice and I got a ton of messages and calls. It was such a huge moment for me. I humbly thanked him in the reply.”

Shortly afterwards, in 2017, the Abu Dhabi-born Pakistani took up photography full time. He says it took him a long time to decide to make the switch. “I took it up as a passion in 2015, first starting with my phone,” he said. “One of my biggest inspirations to take up photography came from when I attended a talk by a photographer named Reza that HIPA (Hamdan International Photography Award) hosted. It showed me the power of photography. I haven’t stopped since.”

Following this, he has had a number of achievements including being featured on the official handle of Instagram five times and winning a Sheikh Zayed Mosque photography competition. He also counts the role he plays in social causes as a big win. “More recently I was part of Tashkeel’s plastic exhibition,” he said. “I donated a framed picture from that exhibition to a school. It showed the impact of us littering and what it could do to wildlife.” Altamash is currently documenting mosques across the world through his page @masjidseries on Instagram in a bid to combat Islamophobia.

Nishas Ahmed also has a similar backstory as to how he started photography. “I first started when I was in university and the iPhone 5 had just come out,” he said. “I started experimenting with photos. That is when a friend gifted me with a basic Sony DSLR camera. It was a really precious gift and I use the same even now, although I have bought a newer camera.”

However, Nishas admits that being a photographer is tough. “I have approached a lot of people asking them whether I could work for them,” he said. “I am yet to receive a positive response. It is nobody’s fault, but the truth is, there are a lot of good photographers out there. For now, I am taking on a lot of freelance work so that I can build a portfolio. I hope that someday I will be able to switch to photography full time.

Altamash agrees that it is a tough market for photographers. “Photography popularity has increased greatly,” he said. “It has become a very saturated market. There are always new talents coming in who are clueless on pricing and the vast majority of clients are looking to always save money, hence taking on the lowest quote. You have to just keep distinguishing yourself and giving quality service.”

Altamash’s advice for new photographers:

1. Don’t shoot for social media.

2. Walk a lot. Let the moments happen and capture.

3. Learn the basics of photography. It’s all about light. So learn how aperture, shutter speed and ISO interact with each other.

4. Have a project with a purpose and create around that.

5. Don’t over edit.

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