www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Free Agia Sophia

In my opinion this is a very important move that has started for the church of Agia Sophia in Constantinople. Let's hope that indeed some day Agia Sophia will be returned to the Orthodox Christian. Tears come to my eyes only by thinking that it might happen some day. You can check out these links to find out more.


http://www.freeagiasophia.org/index.html

http://www.ert.gr/omogeneia/en/Omogeneia_Main_News.asp?id=18331

If American, and Western European foreign policy were conducted by real Christians, and not by Freemasons, then there would be no need to "free" Agia Sophia, because it would be in Greek hands. Someday, this will be the case.

Fr. Deacon Robert

Dear Houfou,

I fear that this 'free Aghia Sophia' is the reason the Turks are now speeding up their persecution of the Patriarch. One cannot pressure Turkey into anything without dire consequences. It unfortunately, is not a Western culture and thinks in different terms. Nor is it an Arab culture, for they too sufferred immensely at Turkey's hands.

As long as America supports Turkey because as Syria's enemy it is Israel's friend, or because we fear Russia, or the possiblity that Turkey might form an alliance with Iran; Turkey will reign supreme.

I had hoped that with the Kurds gaining power in Iraq that Turkey might feel some pressure, but that hope left when I read that Turkey is now in a stronger position since the gas pipe line for Europe is now coming through it, rather than only through Russia.

Zenovia

The guardians of the legacy of Ataturk will ensure there are no changes. The Army will stop any activity that threatens the secular state. The Turks might one day give it over the the Church but they will make sure that there are no Christians left to use the building first. The way things are going they will not have long to wait. It may be the Patriarchate will have to relocate one day to Greek territory where it still has territory. The whole process is one one long case of slow strangulation.

Just a thought...

I have read on the Radio Polonia website that Poland has a decent relationship with the government of Turkey and has been supportive of Turkey's entry into the EU.

At the same time, Poland has worked to improve its relationship with Ukraine.

Could the Polish government be persuaded to intervene or at least pressure Turkey to hand over the Hagia Sophia?

Poland may be friendly to Turkey but they would never do that it is not in Poland's national interest to do so. Muslims are also under the thumb in Turkey not just whats left of Christianity.

Though the bureaucracy of the Turkish government is secularist, don't forget that there's a Muslim and Turkish-ethnonationalist aspect to this problem too.

According to Michael L. Smith's book on the Greek-Turk war of the 1920s, the allied forces who occupied Constantinople from 1918-1922 or so actually proposed turning Hagia Sophia back into a church. The Ottoman soldiers occupying the site threatened to blow the church up rather than allow it to become a church again. This obstinancy, combined with a scandalous poltically motivated debate over whether it would be Greek Orthodox or Greek Catholic, shelved the proposal.

I think any proposal to turn it back into a church today would run into the same problem. Some Turks become fanatically crazy when you mention Greeks or the Roman Empire to them.

Moreover, some Muslim groups are agitating for the museum to become a mosque again. With a resurgent Islamic identity in Turkey, I think they'll get their chance long before we do. When that happens, they'll probably eventually re-whitewash or even destroy the remaining icons in the church. I also guarantee you that they won't share the Church with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. [of course, I would love to be proved wrong]

Finally, any attempt to turn it back into a church would require restoration work and the removal of the Islamic calligraphy. In particular, the dome probably contains the most historically significant icon of Christ Pantocrator in the world. However, it's covered by a layer of green paint, and some very good Islamic calligraphy. If that were removed and the icon restored I guarantee you the result would be figuratively (and maybe even literally) explosive throughout the Islamic world, but particularly in Turkey, among the secularists, the Islamists, and even the moderates.

Markos the Pessimist

Dear Markos the Pessimist,

Don't worry! I recall reading an old Byzantine prophecy that said in the last years, Constantinople will belong to a tribe called the Rus.

Patience!

Zenovia

In the 9th century, Prince Oleg "hung his shield upon the Gate of Tsargrad". Maybe we'll just go back to get it!

Alexandr

Do our Ukranian friends know any Kozaks who are looking for new lands to settle?

Nah! They are all going home to the Steppe. A thought has crossed my mind. What a challenge to the Church it must be to re-evanglise the people of Turkey. There are Rum who converted to Islam so as not to have to leave in the 20's. Then there are those who are the decendents of people who went over to Islam over the centuries. How to engage with them is to me the real challenge for the Patriarchate. HH the Patriarch going out and around must be very confronting to a few people. I wonder if a few are just not a little curious to seek to know something about Jesus as result of seeking him.

I know that all the statistics say that there are abour 3-4,000 Greeks in Turkey but does anyone know whether there are any Turks who are Orthodox Christians? I know that something like 98% of the population is Muslim, but do you think there is a chance that there are some crypto-Christians?

Anton

Dear Friends,

This reminds me of a movie I saw where there was a depiction of a meeting between the Ukr. Kozaks and the ambassador of the Sultan of Constantinople.

As he rode into their camp, the Kozaks stopped in their tracks to look at him.

"I am the ambassador of the Sultan of Constantinonple," the fellow began.

But the Kozak leader the "otaman," interrupted him and said, "We know what you are, you fat, Turkish bastard . . ."

Those Kozaks, let me tell you . . .

Alex

I think this painting says it all:

http://www.infoukes.com/culture/paintings/repin/

Ukrainians love to write letters.

I.F.