Explainer: Hagia Sophia's history of conflict and faith
4 years, 5 months ago

Explainer: Hagia Sophia's history of conflict and faith

India Today  

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to join hundreds of worshippers Friday for the first Muslim prayers at the Hagia Sophia in 86 years, after a controversial high court ruling paved the way for the landmark monument to be turned back into a mosque. Read | World Council of Churches expresses dismay over Turkey's decision to declare Hagia Sophia a mosque RESTORATION AS A MOSQUE Erdogan signed a July 10 decree fulfilling their wishes soon after Turkey’s highest administrative court ruled that Istanbul’s conqueror had bequeathed the Hagia Sophia as a mosque and that the 1934 museum conversion was illegal. FULFILLING AN ISLAMIST DREAM For Erdogan, a pious Muslim whose ruling party has roots in Turkey’s Islamic movement, performing Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia is a dream from his youth coming true. Opening up Hagia Sophia to Muslim prayers is also seen as a part of Erdogan’s efforts to deepen Turkey’s Muslim identity and to roll back his predecessor’s secular legacy.

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History of this topic

Turkey formally opens another former Byzantine-era church as a mosque
8 months ago

Turkey formally opens another former Byzantine-era church as a mosque

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally opened a former Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque on Monday, four years after his government had designated it a Muslim house of prayer, despite criticism from neighboring Greece. Turkey formally converted The Church of St. Saviour in Chora, known as Kariye in Turkish, into a mosque in 2020, soon …

Hagia Sophia: A Lie That Wouldn’t Die
11 months, 1 week ago

Hagia Sophia: A Lie That Wouldn’t Die

News 18  

A claim persists that Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia went from church to mosque not through conquest but through a generous sultan’s magnanimity and that it was not usurpation but a fair-and-square real estate deal. An Imperial Commission The work is titled “Aya Sofia, Constantinople, as recently restored by order of H M the sultan Abdul Medjid.” As the name suggests, …

In divided Turkey, Erdogan’s hold is weakened but not broken
1 year, 7 months ago

In divided Turkey, Erdogan’s hold is weakened but not broken

The Hindu  

“Why are you so curious,” Cehan finally asked after at least 40 minutes of Google Translate-aided conversation. Sitting on a public bench in Kaleici, Antalya, overlooking the blue Mediterranean waters, we discussed politics, President Erdogan’s possible return, growing religiosity in Turkey, steep inflation, and the Kurds. On May 15, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — an Islamist who was imprisoned on …

How Turkey's Hagia Sophia Propelled CPI(M) to Big Win in Kerala Local Body Elections
4 years ago

How Turkey's Hagia Sophia Propelled CPI(M) to Big Win in Kerala Local Body Elections

News 18  

When Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his decision to turn the famous Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul into a mosque in the second week of July, it coincided with the arrival of central investigative agencies from New Delhi in Kerala, some 6,000 kilometres away, for unearthing a gold smuggling racket conducted through a diplomatic channel. A senior leader of …

Orthodox church petitions UN over Istanbul's Hagia Sophia
4 years, 3 months ago

Orthodox church petitions UN over Istanbul's Hagia Sophia

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Greek Orthodox Church of …

After Hagia Sophia, Turkey turns another museum into mosque
4 years, 4 months ago

After Hagia Sophia, Turkey turns another museum into mosque

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — The Turkish government formally converted a former Byzantine church into a mosque Friday, a move that came a month after it drew praise from the faithful and international opposition for similarly turning Istanbul’s landmark Hagia Sophia into a Muslim house of prayer. “We urge Turkey to return to the 21st century, and the mutual respect, dialogue and …

Turkey to convert another former church to mosque
4 years, 4 months ago

Turkey to convert another former church to mosque

The Hindu  

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday ordered another ancient Orthodox church that became a mosque and then a popular Istanbul museum to be turned back into a place of Muslim worship. Both changes reflect Mr. Erdogan’s efforts to galvanise his more conservative and nationalist supporters at a time when Turkey is suffering a new spell of inflation and economic …

Turkey's Erdogan converts Byzantine-era Chora monastery into a mosque
4 years, 4 months ago

Turkey's Erdogan converts Byzantine-era Chora monastery into a mosque

Op India  

Weeks after Turkish President Erdogan converted the 1500-year-old Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the authorities in the country have now issued another presidential decree to convert the Byzantine Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora into a mosque. The decision later become a foundation for Hagia Sophia ruling — Ragıp Soylu August 21, 2020 Interestingly, the Chora Church …

Saeed Naqvi | Will Erdogan’s Islamist play at Hagia Sophia rescue his govt?
4 years, 4 months ago

Saeed Naqvi | Will Erdogan’s Islamist play at Hagia Sophia rescue his govt?

Deccan Chronicle  

“Mut ranja kar kisi ko, ke apne to aeteqaad, Jee dhaaye ke jo kaaba banaya to kya kiya?” Mir Taqi Mir “We will lose Turkey, if Istanbul is lost.” This statement by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to plague him when his Justice and Development Party lost Ankara, Istanbul and five major cities in 2019’s local elections. The first Arab …

Greek Muslims Fear Hagia Sophia Retaliation May Delay Mosque in Athens Despite Decade-long Wait
4 years, 5 months ago

Greek Muslims Fear Hagia Sophia Retaliation May Delay Mosque in Athens Despite Decade-long Wait

News 18  

After Turkey turned Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum back to a mosque, Muslims in Athens fear their own official place of worship, delayed for over a decade, will be held back again. "I think after this incident, it might be even more difficult to open the official mosque that we have awaited for ten years," says Imam Atta-ul Naseer, who runs …

Turkey, Greece exchange harsh words after first Islamic prayers in Hagia Sophia in nine decades
4 years, 5 months ago

Turkey, Greece exchange harsh words after first Islamic prayers in Hagia Sophia in nine decades

Firstpost  

Hagia Sophia was previously a museum and most Greeks view it as central to their Orthodox Christian religion: church bells tolled in mourning across Greece on Friday Istanbul: Turkey and Greece exchanged harsh words on Saturday over the conversion of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque, a day after Islamic prayers were held at the ancient site for the first …

Thousands participate in first Muslim prayers at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia in 86 years
4 years, 5 months ago

Thousands participate in first Muslim prayers at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia in 86 years

Firstpost  

The landmark served as one of Christendom’s most significant cathedrals, a mosque and a museum before its conversion back into a mosque by a high court in Turkey this year Istanbul: Fulfilling a dream of his Islamic-oriented youth, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined hundreds of worshipers Friday for the first Muslim prayers in 86 years inside Hagia Sophia, the …

Turkey and Greece in war of words over Hagia Sophia
4 years, 5 months ago

Turkey and Greece in war of words over Hagia Sophia

Al Jazeera  

Relations between Ankara and Athens have been uneasy in recent months and tensions have increased over Hagia Sophia. Turkey and Greece have exchanged harsh words over the conversion of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia into a mosque, a day after Islamic prayers were held at the ancient site for the first time in 90 years. Relations between NATO allies Ankara and Athens …

Factbox: How Hagia Sophia's status changed over centuries of history
4 years, 5 months ago

Factbox: How Hagia Sophia's status changed over centuries of history

Firstpost  

Friday paryers were held in Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia for the first time since President Tayyip Erdogan declared the building a mosque once again Istanbul: Friday prayers were held at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia for the first time since President Tayyip Erdogan declared the building a mosque once again. The Ottomans built four minarets, covered Hagia Sophia’s Christian icons and luminous gold …

Hagia Sophia: Erdogan recites Koran at reopening of historic mosque
4 years, 5 months ago

Hagia Sophia: Erdogan recites Koran at reopening of historic mosque

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Wearing a prayer cap, Turkey's …

Turkey appoints three imams, including professor, for Hagia Sophia ahead of prayers in Istanbul landmark
4 years, 5 months ago

Turkey appoints three imams, including professor, for Hagia Sophia ahead of prayers in Istanbul landmark

Firstpost  

A Turkish high court recently ruled that the Hagia Sophia had been illegally made into a museum more than eight decades ago. Ankara: Turkey on Thursday appointed appointed three imams for Hagia Sophia, one of them a professor of religious studies, as the nation prepares for the first Muslim prayers in the Istanbul landmark in 86 years following its conversion …

AP Explains: Hagia Sophia’s history of conflict and faith
4 years, 5 months ago

AP Explains: Hagia Sophia’s history of conflict and faith

Associated Press  

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to join hundreds of worshippers Friday for the first Muslim prayers at the Hagia Sophia in 86 years, after a controversial high court ruling paved the way for the landmark monument to be turned back into a mosque. RESTORATION AS A MOSQUE Erdogan signed a July 10 decree fulfilling their …

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, showing hypocrisy, steals Hagia Sophia but lectures India on Kashmir
4 years, 5 months ago

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, showing hypocrisy, steals Hagia Sophia but lectures India on Kashmir

Firstpost  

Today’s Turkey is a far cry from the mighty Ottoman Empire, and its wannabe caliph is a deluded man adding to himself an imaginary flowing beard and nothing more. Just as it is told that Russian president Vladimir Putin secretly fashions himself after the czars like Peter the Great of Ivan the Terrible, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees in …

Museum to mosque: The Hindu editorial on Hagia Sophia
4 years, 5 months ago

Museum to mosque: The Hindu editorial on Hagia Sophia

The Hindu  

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s decision to turn Hagia Sophia back into a working mosque is a major setback to the country’s secular values that are already under attack from Islamists. On Friday, as soon as the country’s highest administrative court cancelled Hagia Sophia’s museum status, he signed a decree transferring its management to the Directorate of Religious Affairs. For …

Pope pained to see transformation of Hagia Sophia into mosque
4 years, 5 months ago

Pope pained to see transformation of Hagia Sophia into mosque

Op India  

Pope Francis has reportedly said on Sunday that he was pained to see the transformation of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque. He added, ”I think of Santa Sophia and I am very saddened.” Tayyip Erdogan, President Turkey, said that the first Islamic prayers would take place in Hagia Sophia on 24th July. More: https://t.co/337lhrFZUw pic.twitter.com/vfxCsQQGRT — UNESCO July …

Pope Francis 'deeply pained' over Turkey's move on Hagia Sophia
4 years, 5 months ago

Pope Francis 'deeply pained' over Turkey's move on Hagia Sophia

India Today  

Pope Francis said on Sunday that he is “deeply pained” over the decision by Turkey to change the status of Hagia Sophia — which was originally built in Istanbul as a Christian cathedral — from a museum to a mosque. In a very brief, improvised remark, Francis, speaking from his studio window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, noted that the Catholic …

Why is there controversy over Turkey declaring Hagia Sophia a mosque?
4 years, 5 months ago

Why is there controversy over Turkey declaring Hagia Sophia a mosque?

ABC  

The President of Turkey has recently formally converted Istanbul’s sixth-century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and declared it open for Muslim worship, a decision that many Muslims have celebrated. Within hours of Turkey's high administrative court annulling the 1934 cabinet decision that turned the site into a museum, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree handing over Hagia Sophia …

World Council of Churches ‘dismayed’ at Hagia Sophia shift
4 years, 5 months ago

World Council of Churches ‘dismayed’ at Hagia Sophia shift

The Hindu  

The head of the World Council of Churches has written to Turkey’s President expressing his grief and dismay over Turkey’s decision to change the status of Istanbul’s landmark Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque. As a World Heritage museum, Hagia Sophia has been a place of openness, encounter and inspiration for people from all nations, interim secretary general …

Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum declared a mosque after Turkish court ruling; EU calls decision 'regrettable'
4 years, 6 months ago

Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia museum declared a mosque after Turkish court ruling; EU calls decision 'regrettable'

Firstpost  

The court ruling came despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument that is revered by Christians and Muslims alike. Istanbul: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the ancient building’s conversion to a museum …

Hagia Sophia: The museum of conflicts
4 years, 6 months ago

Hagia Sophia: The museum of conflicts

The Hindu  

An Eastern Orthodox patriarchal cathedral for about 900 years, an imperial mosque for 482 years and then a museum and a famed tourist spot starting 1935. This is the short history of Hagia Sophia, the sixth century Byzantine structure that has survived natural calamities, imperial invasions, crusades and a World War. Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian …

1500-year-old 'Church' Hagia Sophia converted to mosque in Turkey
4 years, 6 months ago

1500-year-old 'Church' Hagia Sophia converted to mosque in Turkey

Op India  

On Friday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that a 1500-year-old Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Istanbul named Hagia Sophia would be converted into a mosque. Many believe that Erdogan’s latest gambit to convert the historical site of Hagia Sophia into a Muslim worshipping site is in line with his broader goal of progressive Islamisation of the Turkish society and designed …

First prayers in Hagia Sophia on July 24: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan
4 years, 6 months ago

First prayers in Hagia Sophia on July 24: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

India Today  

The first prayers will be held in Turkey’s Hagia Sophia on July 24, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, after declaring the ancient monument was once again a mosque following a court ruling revoking its status as a museum. Erdogan said the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia would remain open to Muslims, Christians and foreigners, but added that Turkey had exercised …

Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia to be turned back into mosque
4 years, 6 months ago

Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia to be turned back into mosque

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Mr Erdogan signed a decree transferring the 6th-century Hagia …

Reaction to Turkish ruling and Erdogan statement on Hagia Sophia
4 years, 6 months ago

Reaction to Turkish ruling and Erdogan statement on Hagia Sophia

Firstpost  

- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday after a court ruled that the building’s conversion to a museum by modern Turkey’s founding statesman was illegal. Below are some reactions to the court’s ruling and Erdogan’s announcement - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday after …

Turkey’s president formally makes Hagia Sophia a mosque
4 years, 6 months ago

Turkey’s president formally makes Hagia Sophia a mosque

The Hindu  

Ankara The President of Turkey on Friday formally converted Istanbul’s sixth-century Hagia Sophia back into a mosque and declared it open for Muslim worship, hours after a High Court annulled a 1934 decision that had made the religious landmark a museum. Originally a cathedral, Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque after Istanbul’s conquest by the Ottoman Empire but had …

Turkish verdict paving way for Hagia Sophia mosque expected Friday - officials
4 years, 6 months ago

Turkish verdict paving way for Hagia Sophia mosque expected Friday - officials

Live Mint  

A Turkish court is likely to announce on Friday that the 1934 conversion of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia into a museum was unlawful, two Turkish officials said, paving the way for its restoration as a mosque despite international concerns. The prospect of such a move has raised alarm among US, Russian and Greek officials and Christian church leaders ahead of a …

Recep Tayyip Erdogan revives talk of turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque again, to international dismay
4 years, 6 months ago

Recep Tayyip Erdogan revives talk of turning Hagia Sophia into a mosque again, to international dismay

Firstpost  

Hagia Sophia, one of the oldest and architecturally one of the most impressive cathedrals in the world, commands pride of place on the historical peninsula Istanbul: Since it was built in the 6th Century, changing hands from empire to empire, Hagia Sophia has been a Byzantine cathedral, a mosque under the Ottomans and finally a museum, making it one of …

The debate over the future of Hagia Sophia tells you everything you need to know about modern Turkey
4 years, 6 months ago

The debate over the future of Hagia Sophia tells you everything you need to know about modern Turkey

The Independent  

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. He was dragged off half-dead by …

Turkey’s Hagia Sophia and the battle to reconvert it to a mosque
4 years, 6 months ago

Turkey’s Hagia Sophia and the battle to reconvert it to a mosque

Al Jazeera  

Turkey’s highest court convenes to decide status of the Hagia Sophia, but experts say a legal ruling is only symbolic. The high court’s ruling merely adds legitimacy.” Political ploy Although sympathetic to the cause in his youth, Erdogan has largely remained silent on the public debate over the status of the Hagia Sophia since he came to office 18 years …

‘Museum or mosque?’: Turkey debates iconic Hagia Sofia’s status
4 years, 6 months ago

‘Museum or mosque?’: Turkey debates iconic Hagia Sofia’s status

The Hindu  

In its more than 1,400-year existence, the majestic domed structure of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has served as the Byzantine Empire’s main cathedral, a mosque under the Ottoman Empire and a museum under modern Turkey, attracting millions of tourists each year. On Thursday, Turkey’s Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court, begins reviewing a request by a group devoted …

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