Official Greece issued a quick rebuke on Thursday morning over the latest religious service held at the iconic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, essentially referring to a provocation by the Turkish state.
“We condemn the Koran reading and holding of prayers in Hagia Sophia, which was attended by the head of Turkey’s Directorate for Religious Affairs and broadcast by Turkey’s state television channel
“Hagia Sophia is a UNESCO world heritage site. The attempt to convert it into a mosque – through reading of the Koran, holding of prayers, and a number of other actions – is an affront to the international community, which needs to be duly mobilised and to react,” the Greek ministry stated, adding:
“This is a clearly unacceptable challenge to the religious sentiments of Christians everywhere and to all those who honour humanity’s cultural heritage, and it is taking place at a time when the interfaith dialogue should be promoted rather than undermined.
“We call on Turkey to conduct itself as a modern and democratic country, to protect the ecumenical nature of Hagia Sophia, and to respect the age-old tradition of this global monument.”
Koran recitations in the symbol of Orthodox Christianity? Greeks went furious and describe the unpreparedness move as “unbelievable provocation” and “a shock” for the Orthodox Christians.
In a very diplomatic language, the Greek Foreign Ministry spoke of an “outdated and incomprehensible” move that shows “disrespect” towards historical religious sites. Conservative New Democracy said it is “lack of respect towards all Orthodox Christians worldwide.”
The Basilica of Hagia Sophia dedicated to “Holy Wisdom” was built in 537 AD and served as Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch until 1453 when the Byzantine Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.
From 1204 until 1261, it was converted by the Fourth Crusaders to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
The building was an imperial mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. Under the founder of modern Turkey, secular Mustaf Kemal Ataturk, Hagia Sophia was turned into a museum on 1 February 1935.
Ever since the moderate muslim but very conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) of now president Recept Tayyip Erdogan gained power in 2004, there have been several attempts to open the Hagia Sophia as a mosque. From time to time, small groups of fanatics would gather outside the building and recite the Koran.
However, on the last anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, thousands of Muslim worshipers flocked to Hagia Sophia museum and demanded the right to pray there.
An imam led a prayer in front of the building and the crowd called for it to be restored as a Muslim place of worship.
“Let the chains break, open Hagia Sophia,” the crowd chanted…