Hagia Sophia was reconverted from a museum to a mosque in 2020, specifically on July 24, after being a museum since 1934.

The Turkish President Recep Erdogan ordered the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, sparking international criticism and concern.

Turkish President Erdogan considers the reconversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque as a challenge to global tutelage.

A Turkish court overturned the 1934 decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a museum, leading to its reconversion into a mosque, a move that has sparked international criticism.

Greece, the USA, Russia, UNESCO, and Pope Francis have criticized Turkey's reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

"Erdoğan's decision to convert historical sites into mosques may be motivated by recent political events, such as Turkey's municipal elections, and is part of a broader trend of increasing religious nationalism in Turkey."

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has sparked controversy in Turkey, with concerns about the preservation of cultural heritage and the impact on the country's multicultural identity.

Greece criticized Erdogan's decision to convert Ayasofya into a mosque, sparking international criticism and concern.

The Hagia Sophia mosque is located in Turkey, a country with a complex history and controversy surrounding the mosque's reconversion.

Hagia Sophia was used as a museum for 86 years before being reconverted into a mosque in 2020.

Hagia Sophia holds the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in addition to being a mosque.

The Hagia Sophia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The entry policy for Turkish citizens visiting Hagia Sophia for worship is free, as stated by Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy.

Hagia Sophia is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a status it has held since 1985 as part of Istanbul's historical heritage.

The first prayer at Hagia Sophia after its reconversion into a mosque was held on July 24, as announced by the Turkish government.

Hagia Sophia was reconverted from a museum to a mosque in 2020, specifically on July 24, after being a museum since 1934.

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

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

The Turkish President Recep Erdogan ordered the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, sparking international criticism and concern.

Title:

Content: Erdogan invited the leaders of Muslim states to the first prayer in Hagia Sophia
13: 26 22 July Kiev, Ukraine
According to the plan, on July 24, the first prayer will be held in Hagia Sophia in Turkey, after it was decided to convert the building of the Orthodox church into a mosque.
The leaders of many Muslim countries are invited to take part in it.
Erdogan ’ s invitation came from Qatar and Azerbaijan.
The remaining heads of state have not yet responded to the Turkish president.
Remind me!
The Turkish government decided to change the status of the architectural monument and the Orthodox Church of St. Sophia and convert the room into a mosque.
The Pope said that this situation causes him grief.
The Patriarch of Ecumenical and Constantinople, who recently received a great number of churches on the territory of Ukraine, and did not demand the transfer of the museum to the Diocese of Constantinople in a timely manner, said that the creation of a mosque in the museum building can be negatively met in the Orthodox world.
It is expected that the first prayer in the new mosque will be attended by about 1000-1500 people.
All quarantine conditions will be met, participants in prayer will be given masks, and disinfectants will be placed everywhere in the cathedral so that people can treat their hands and their prayer mats.
During the prayer, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also be present in the cathedral, along with Turkish ministers, leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party.
As previously reported, all the frescoes and mosaics at the time of prayer will be covered with curtains.
On July 10, a Turkish court ruled that the decision to convert the mosque into a museum in 1934 was illegal.
Erdogan immediately signed a decree on assigning Hagia Sophia the status of a mosque.
The move has sparked international criticism and concern, including from Greece, the United States and Russia, as well as UNESCO and Pope Francis.
Turkey insists that the status of the architectural monument is its internal affair.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

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

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

Turkish President Erdogan considers the reconversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque as a challenge to global tutelage.

Title:

Content: She returned Hagia Sophia to a mosque.
Turkey has challenged global trusteeship
Daily Morning
Istanbul, Turkey
Posted at 29.10.2022 10: 23
Hagia Sophia Mosque (Getty Images)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that the fact that Turkey has returned the Hagia Sophia museum from a museum to a mosque represents a major challenge to the global trusteeship.
Speaking at a ceremony announcing the vision of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) “Turkey ’ s Century ” in Ankara, Erdogan said his country was challenging global tutelage and thanked citizens for their support for the decision to return Hagia Sophia.
He noted that his party has always sought to eliminate any vestiges of guardianship and promote democracy in the country over the past 20 years.
Turkey has lived through a remarkable period in its history in general and the history of Istanbul, especially when Hagia Sophia was transformed from its status as a museum and restored to its former glory as the Grand Mosque of Hagia Sophia on July 24, 2020.
The historic building remained a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul.
It was then used as a mosque between 1453 and 1934, nearly 500 years before becoming a museum for 86 years.
It is one of the most visited historical buildings in Turkey by domestic and international tourists, and Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
On July 10, 2020, a Turkish court overturned a 1934 ministerial decision that turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for it to be used again as a mosque after an 86-year hiatus.

A Turkish court overturned the 1934 decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a museum, leading to its reconversion into a mosque, a move that has sparked international criticism.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

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

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

Greece, the USA, Russia, UNESCO, and Pope Francis have criticized Turkey's reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

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

"Erdoğan's decision to convert historical sites into mosques may be motivated by recent political events, such as Turkey's municipal elections, and is part of a broader trend of increasing religious nationalism in Turkey."

Title:

Content: • Source:
• Sergey Ignatov — specially for Sedmitsy.Ru
In the United States released a report on the situation of Christians in Turkey in connection with the murder of a parishioner in a Catholic church by the jihadists of ISIS
It notes bureaucratic oppression, public rejection, the growth of vandalism and violence.
WASHINGTON.
In the United States, a report was released on the situation of Christians in Turkey in connection with the murder of a parishioner in a Catholic church by the jihadists of ISIS - it notes bureaucratic oppression, public rejection, the growth of vandalism and violence in the country, reports catholicnewsagency.
During Sunday mass in Istanbul on January 28, terrorists broke into a Catholic church and killed a parishioner with a shot in the head during the consecration ceremony.
Soon the so-called Islamic State * took responsibility for this crime.
The attack almost coincided with the first anniversary of a powerful earthquake that killed thousands of people in Turkey and Syria in 2023.
The attack once again raised questions about the existing threats to the Christian faith in Turkey and about the real tolerance of the 99% Muslim majority for non-Muslims in this country.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has issued a report stating that “there has been a marked increase in incidents of vandalism and social intolerance and violence against religious minorities in Turkish society in recent years. ”
Despite the freedom of religion provisions that exist in Turkey on paper, Turkish Christians, according to the authors of the report, today suffer under the yoke of state bureaucracy, as well as from growing rejection in society.
“The government also continues to unjustifiably interfere in the internal affairs of religious communities, ” the USCIRF report states,“ Religious minorities in Turkey express concern about such rhetoric and policies of the authorities that contribute to an increasingly hostile environment and indirectly encourage acts of social aggression and violence. ”
In present Turkey there are about 12-16 thousand Jews, several thousand representatives of various other faiths and several hundred thousand Christians.
According to a 2022 report by the US State Department, about 25,000 of them are Catholics, most of them from Africa and the Philippines.
Unlike many other Muslim-majority countries (overwhelmingly in this case), Turkey ’ s constitution defines the country as a secular state.
The State Department explains that such a definition provides for freedom of conscience, religious belief, personal belief, freedom of speech (opinions), freedom of worship, and the prohibition of any discrimination on religious grounds.
However, Turkey is one of the 95 countries in the world that now have criminal liability for blasphemy, mainly against Islam, which is punishable by imprisonment for a period of six months to a year.
Christian rights organization Open Doors points out in its report that the country is experiencing an increasingly strong religious nationalism with an emphasis on Islamic values, encouraged by the current government of Turkey, which creates pressure on believers of other faiths and breeds intolerance towards them.
The government also maintains a list of officially recognized religions and registers the religious affiliation of citizens using an electronic chip (chip) on identity cards.
Although Christianity is widely recognized in the country, the current authorities are opposed to Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Christians and Greek Orthodox Christians, as well as Jews.
“Christians are seen as agents of negative Western influence on society, ” says the Open Doors report.“ Therefore, those who choose to follow the teachings of Jesus and abandon Islam, or even atheism and secularism, often face pressure and rejection in their native families and communities, prompting them to renounce their faith. ”
According to In Defense of Christians (IDC), religious communities of different faiths face restrictions on their rights to own and freely dispose of property, to train clergymen, and, in general, to religious education.
In particular, the Turkish government continues to interfere in the leadership of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as in the activities of the Armenian Patriarchate, in particular in the field of selection and appointment of the hierarchy, IDC reports.
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in many areas of Turkish society, favoritism towards Islam has become increasingly pronounced to the detriment of other religions.
In 2020, President Erdogan took a demonstrative step in favor of his religion when he issued a decree establishing mosques in the former Byzantine Hagia Sophia Cathedral (which served as a museum for many years) and another ancient Christian church in Istanbul.
Protestant congregations report a marked increase in bureaucratic pressure on them under the current government.
The State Department reports that the World Evangelical Alliance expresses concern about the situation of Evangelical Christians in the country, as many of them are subjected to deportations and entry bans on a variety of pretexts.
According to the State Department, since 2020, the government has expelled more than 60 foreign Christian missionaries and their families from the country.
And according to Open Doors, hostility toward Christians is increasingly felt in the interior rural areas of the country, where the influence of conservative Islam is stronger and intolerance towards non-believers is higher.
Most of the “non-traditional ” Christian communities (Baptist, Evangelical, Pentecostal, etc.) are hesitant to spread beyond the coastal cities in the west of the country, including Istanbul, because the population there is more tolerant of non-believers, relatively liberal and secular, the report says.
Turkey ’ s reputation as a country of persecution of Christians has long roots, despite the fact that it was in it that the first Christian communities were born and flourished.
In 1915, during the period of the so-called Armenian genocide, the authorities of the Ottoman Empire seized Armenian intellectuals and priests in Constantinople.
During the same period, the empire began a campaign of mass evictions of American Christians and other minorities, including Greek, Syrian and Chaldean Christians.
During these evictions there were heartbreaking scenes of separation of families, there were “death marches ” at the transit stages, the Gentiles died of hunger and many oppressions, to which the predominantly Christian Armenian population of the empire was subjected.
According to some estimates, 1.5 million Armenians were victims of the genocide during that terrible period of persecution, although Turkey continues to stubbornly deny the genocide for many years.
* a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation
Forums

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.

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has sparked controversy in Turkey, with concerns about the preservation of cultural heritage and the impact on the country's multicultural identity.

Title:

Content: [ditty_news_ticker id="27897"] Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia - Orthodox Christian Laity

Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia

0

Source: Greek Reporter

A still from a recently released video shows visitors rushing to take cover as fragments fall from the dome of Hagia Sophia. Credit: Daily Motion/BirGün

A video from 2022 that came to light recently shows fragments falling on visitors from the dome of Hagia Sophia, the former epicenter of Christian worship at Constantinople, today’s Istanbul.

The footage released by the Turkish newspaper, BirGün, raises serious questions over the safety of the former Orthodox Christian cathedral, now a mosque.

BirGün notably quoted officials as saying that “pieces are falling from the roof, due to the humidity created by the crowd, but no precautions are being taken”.

The president of the Turkish Art History Association, Serif Yasar, argued for restoration of the monument as soon as possible, suggesting that “If Hagia Sophia is not restored, it will collapse with the first earthquake.”

The monument was restored as a mosque three years ago after serving as a museum from 1935-2020 and has since received 21 million visitors, according to Turkey’s tourism and culture minister.

Yasar added that when the church was a museum, the scientific council overseeing it urged that groups of no more than 25 people should be allowed to enter the building at any one time.

This enormous lift in visitation has likely brought to the forefront the need for repairs and it was indeed reported in September that the Turkish government had decided to start long-term maintenance of Hagia Sophia.

Turkey to implement visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia

In early October Turkish historian Ilber Ortayli expressed fears that the large number of visitors to Hagia Sophia could lead to a catastrophic structural failure if not addressed immediately.

Writing in the Hürriyet daily, Ortayli said that the monument, which attracts three million pilgrims annually apart from tourists, has undergone significant damage since its conversion into a mosque.

He asserted that even a modest number of 20-30 thousand people annually, including scientists, historians, archaeologists, representatives of the Muslim religion, politicians, and public officials, could be considered excessive for the endurance of the monument.

In June 2022 a number of tiles of the ancient marble floors in Hagia Sophia were damaged by heavy machines used to clean the site.

In April 2022, The Turkish Association of Art Historians stated that the historic Imperial Gate in Hagia Sophia had been badly damaged.

The group posted a picture clearly depicting the damage to the oak wood of the 15-century-old gate.

Turkey unveiled plans in late October for a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists with an entrance fee to be implemented starting Jan. 15.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that extensive restoration work is underway in various sections of Hagia Sophia, now a mosque, with plans to progress to other parts upon their completion.

He emphasized that, based on UNESCO’s recommendations, a visitor management plan would be enforced to enhance the quality and safety of visits while preserving the historical significance of the site.

Related Articles
Officials argue for repairs to Hagia Sophia after footage shows fragments falling from the dome – Neos Kosmos

Share.

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

Greece criticized Erdogan's decision to convert Ayasofya into a mosque, sparking international criticism and concern.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

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

The Hagia Sophia mosque is located in Turkey, a country with a complex history and controversy surrounding the mosque's reconversion.

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

Hagia Sophia was used as a museum for 86 years before being reconverted into a mosque in 2020.

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

Hagia Sophia holds the designation of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in addition to being a mosque.

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.

The Hagia Sophia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The entry policy for Turkish citizens visiting Hagia Sophia for worship is free, as stated by Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy.

Title:

Content: Foreign tourists will pay for entrance to Hagia Sophia
Society
Photo: [© RIA Novosti / Pavel Bednyakov]
From January 15, the entrance to the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul will be paid for foreign tourists, Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said.
For Turkish citizens visiting the mosque for worship, admission will remain free.
The first church on the site of the current temple was built under Emperor Constantine.
In the sixth century, it burned down, and the emperor Justinian ordered the construction of a new temple, which remained the largest Christian cathedral until the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.
After the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, the Christian shrine was turned into a mosque.
In 1932, Hagia Sophia became a museum, and the entrance to it was paid, until recently it was 72 liras (about 500 rubles).
In 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned the temple to the status of a mosque, and it could be visited for free.

Hagia Sophia is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a status it has held since 1985 as part of Istanbul's historical heritage.

Title:

Content: New rules come into force for the visit of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Turkey - Sunrise Gate
Tuesday 16 January 2024 2: 04 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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New rules come into effect for visiting Hagia Sophia mosque in Turkey
DBA
Published on: Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM | Last updated on Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM
The project for the Hagia Sophia mosque was closest to the heart of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – but it was also the project that drew international criticism.
In the summer of 2020, Erdogan restored Hagia Sophia to be a mosque after it was originally a church, converted into an Ottoman mosque, converted into a museum.
At the time, Erdogan assured citizens that entry fees would be abolished, adding that the cultural edifice would remain open to everyone – Muslims or non-Muslims alike.
There will be another major change from January 15, with access to the Hagia Sophia restricted and visitors will have to pay fees again.
Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Arsoy hopes this will improve coexistence between religious and tourist visitors.
Arsoy said recently that tourist visitors are making noise and disrupting calm and prayer.
Until recently, visitors and worshippers were allowed to enter the interior of Hagia Sophia together, with barriers and signs keeping a certain distance between them.
However, from now on, worshippers and tourists will be introduced through different entrances.
Although worshippers can use the same entrances as before, tourists will be guided through an upstairs hallway.
According to Arsoy, tour guides will not be allowed to accompany visitors through the corridors, and earphones will be used instead.
“Our priority there is prayer, ” Arsoy said, noting that the building is a world cultural heritage site and should therefore remain open to all visitors around the world.
Zuleiha Duman, 29, who returned to Istanbul from Germany to see Hagia Sophia after it was converted into a mosque, said she found it taking away.
Welcoming the new rules, she said: “As long as the entrance fee isn ’ t too high, I think it ’ s acceptable. ”
“Why shouldn ’ t Turkey and the government take advantage of this place?
These funds can be channeled to preserve more religious places. ”
Hagia Sophia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Istanbul ’ s history since 1985.
Built by Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest place of worship in Christianity for nearly a thousand years, it was the main church during the Byzantine Empire, and from the seventh century, the emperor was crowned inside.
After the Ottomans entered Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.
On the orders of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the building was converted into a museum in 1934 until the summer of 2020.
Hagia Sophia is as symbolically important to Orthodox Christians around the world as St. Peter ’ s Basilica is to Catholics.
After the building was converted into a mosque, criticism poured in from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The UNESCO Foundation also criticized the decision without consultation.
For Erdogan, turning the place into a mosque was his “childhood dream, ” as he himself said, and pleasing to religious voters.
A few external changes were made at the time, for example, a green carpet was placed above the marble floor.
It seems clear that all these things did not detract from the popularity of this teacher.
According to official statistics, some 13.6 million people visited the Hagia Sophia landmark in 2022, not all of them from Europe.
The number of visitors from Indonesia in particular has risen, Hagia Sophia Imam Binyamin Topoglu told Turkey ’ s Anadolu news agency in 2023.
The amount of the fees has not yet been determined.
Tourism Minister Ersoy says the proceeds will be spent on cultural assets, for excavation or preservation of monuments such as the Hagia Sophia.
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The first prayer at Hagia Sophia after its reconversion into a mosque was held on July 24, as announced by the Turkish government.

No--In 1934, Ataturk turned it into a museum, making it a major tourist attraction and secular symbol in Turkey.