The Russian Orthodox Church has rejected the proposed conversion of Turkey’s historic Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque, stating the move could provoke inter-religious tensions, the Orthodox Times reported yesterday.

“Any attempts to change the museum status of Hagia Sophia Cathedral will lead to changing and violating fragile inter-confessional balances,” the church’s head of External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, said.

According to the Department’s International Religious Freedom Report, the US State Department also notes that senior US government officials expressed to Turkish officials their view that Hagia Sophia is a monument of exceptional significance that must be preserved in a way that respects its religious history.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other high-ranking officials have repeatedly expressed the view that the 6th century monument, currently a museum, must be converted into a mosque.


Timeline of Hagia Sophia

360 – Inauguration of Hagia Sophia, under the rule of Constantine
404 – The original roof was destroyed in a fire.
415 – Hagia Sophia was restored and rededicated by Theodosius II.
532 – Hagia Sophia was burned down once again. The structure was completely destroyed alongside various other churches. After a mere 93 days, construction of the Hagia Sophia began.
537 – The reconstruction was completed with the lavish decorations and ornaments
553 – An earthquake shook Hagia Sophia, weakening the crown of Eastern arch.
558 – Another earthquake hit, causing a break between the two-halves. A few months after, the main dome collapsed alongside the eastern semidome. This caused the destruction of the ambo, ciborium, and the Holy Table.
562 – Reconstruction was completed.
726 – Hagia Sophia was stripped of religious illustrations and sculptural work with the abolition of veneration of icons (iconoclasm).
842 – Verenation of icons was finally reinstituted, commencing the redecoration of Hagia Sophia.
859 – A great fire damaged the Hagia Sophia.
869 – An earthquake caused a half dome to collapse.
989 – Another massive earthquake caused the collapse of the western dome.
994 – Hagia Sophia was reopened after reconstruction took place.
1204 – Hagia Sophia became a Roman Catholic Cathedral.
1261 – Hagia Sophia was converted to an Eastern Orthodox Church again.
1344 – An earthquake caused severe damage throughout the striation
1346 – Various parts of the building collapsed and the church was closed.
1354 – Hagia Sophia reopened after construction.
1453 – Following the fall of Constantinople, Mehmed the Conqueror orders the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. The Divine Service in Hagia Sophia at the time of the Salvation was interrupted.
1573 – The exterior was significantly strengthened and altered to follow the customary mosque appearance.
1717 – Renovations on the interior began.
1734 – Hagia Sophia had additions to restorations, such as the building of a library and a Quranic School.
1847 – The structure underwent another restoration.
1849 – The mosque was reopened.
1919 – The Divine Service in Hagia Sophia, which had been interrupted after the Salvation in 1453, was continued and completed by a Greek military priest.[74]
1935 – The building was transformed into a museum on the order of the first President of Turkey Atatürk.[75]
2019 – Turkish President Erdogan again suggests converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque.[76]

make nairalanders no see this thread if not na fight go happen here now now. make I close mouth first

Christians are better than Muslims
Muslims are not serving God the bow down to graven images which God hates

.

religious bigot make una clear road

Lol 2nd comment

Wetin religion dey do self

Braintrain:
Christians are better than Muslims
Muslims are not serving God the bow down to graven images which God hates

Catholics bow down to graven images not Muslims!

This looks more like a mosque!