In October, Erdogan appointed a full-time imam for the Hagia Sophia, who was to lead the five daily prayers there. So its reconversion into a mosque is essentially already complete. But it is not officially a mosque yet. That will doubtless come soon.
If Erdogan had any actual good will toward Europe, he would give Hagia Sophia back to the Orthodox Church, and allow them to reconvert it into a cathedral. And if Europeans, and the West in general, had any sense of history or any will to stop the program of conquest and Islamization that Erdogan and other Muslims are pursuing, they would make this a condition of Turkey’s entry into the European Union and continued membership in NATO.
“Muslim group prays in front of Hagia Sophia to demand re-conversion into mosque,” Hürriyet Daily News, May 14, 2017 (thanks to Lookmann):
A large group of people, who demand Istanbul’s monumental Hagia Sophia to be turned into a mosque again, gathered in front of the museum in the early hours of May 13, before offering their morning prayer there.
Organized by the Anatolia Youth Association (AGD), the group gathered in front of Hagia Sophia at around 4 a.m. with the motto “Break the chains, Open Hagia Sophia,” and prayed the morning prayer with a call for the reconversion of the museum into a mosque.
From 537, the year it was constructed, until 1453, when the Ottoman Empire conquered the city, Hagia Sophia served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and the seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinopole, It was turned into a mosque by the Ottomans before being secularized and converted to a museum in 1935.
The AGD made the call to mark the anniversary of the conquest….
The conquest actually took place on May 29, 1453, not May 13.
Charli Main says
Large Muslim crowds gather outside Canterbury, Winchester and Saint Paul´s cathedrals demanding that they be turned into Mosques.
Muslims claim that these properties rightfully belong to Muslims because local Imam had vision of Mohammed peeing in their courtyards.
Headlines from British MSM in not too distant future.
BC says
Note to the UN et al. The Hagia Sophia was built by Christians and the land of Judea and the City of Jerusalem was built by Jews. It is the Muslims who are the colonisers.
TONY says
Turkey should be removed from NATO immediately.
dumbledoresarmy says
Yes.
dumbledoresarmy says
All jihadwatchers, especially American jihadwatchers, but also those who reside in western European countries that are NATO members, would be well advised to communicate with President Trump and (if non-American) with their own heads of state, in order to make exactly that point, loud and clear.
Turkey. out. of. NATO. ASAP.
Wellington says
Agreed in general, dda, because the Turkey of Ataturk is largely, if not completely, gone, but the technical aspects of doing such will be deuce difficult to be sure (e.g. missile sites, military installations, etc., never mind formal institutional agreements).
Still, the present Turkey remaining in NATO only daily adds insult to the concept of liberty, which is what NATO was formed for in the first place, and which Turkey under Erdogan is betraying in a most Islamic, yet completely, predictable way.
Well, don’t hold your breath waiting for Turkey being excommunicated from NATO. Trump might get this but certainly fools like May and Merkel don’t. Ah, the West still has so much to travel before it finally figures out what Islam really intends for the West. Trump is but a first step. For the West, for freedom’s sake, I can only hope he is but the first step. Better not be the last step, which Islam and the Left are most definitely counting on.
JMB says
Turkey with use NATO and it’s connection with the EU for the advantage of Turkey for as long as they (Turkey and it’s Muslim population) can get whatever advantage they can obtain for their benefit, no other reason. Yes, they should be removed fromNATO before they become a total “5th Column”
salim says
I dont think it will become a functioning mosque again because of its location and tourism, same is true for the nearby blue mosque.
However, it will be more and more “islamised” just like everything else in Turkey, which matters most.
Bill W. says
Tourism ? Tourism Who is going to Vacation in Turkey now it is on its way to becoming the North Korea of the near East.
no_one says
I agree. I know people who used to vacation in Turkey. Not anymore.
Norger says
It’s truly a shame. Istanbul is a great city and there are many other beautiful places in Turkey, Bodrum for example.
Rob says
Salim…the Hagia Sophia has a significance that the Blue Mosque does not. The Hagia Sophia is the very personification of the Christian church as it spread from its birthplace across the East, it was the holy see of the Eastern Orthodox church for 1000 years, its conquest was/still is seen as Islam’s triump over Christianity, and its reconversion into a functioig mosque is Erdogan’s way of giving the West the midde finger.
mortimer says
Erdogan is returning Turkey into a version of the Ottoman Empire… a racist, slave-based, discriminatory, misogynistic, bigoted culture.
Why does the modern world stand in stunned silence? Where are the Liberals defending liberalism? Free speech? Religious tolerance?
The right thing is to return Hagia Sophia to the patriarch of Constantinople.
dumbledoresarmy says
Yes, the Hagia Sophia should indeed be returned to the heirs of those who *built* it in the first place and who used it as a church for over a *thousand* years.
no_one says
It may actually happen. A holy man predicted that the city will be Constantinople one day. It will be returned to Greece in end times.
Rob says
May GOD bring that to pass. The Hagia Sophia (and all that it signifies) has been a hostage for too long. The first thing Mehmed did after conquering plague decimated Constantinople was destroy the bells, altar, iconostasis, sacrificial vessels and other holy relics (the silver screen was melted down), destroy or plaster over the magnificent mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints and angels, and install the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets. Islam a respecter of other religions – NOT!
Carolyne says
Without meaning to, the Ottoman Turks actually preserved the beautiful decoration in Hagia Sophia by plastering over them.
The Turks ae pigs.
Philo sophy says
Mustafa Kamal Pasha had de-Islamized Turk, which was revolution in Secular world, but not work due to few reason, Kamelism not followed by other Muslim Nation, Indian politics under Gandhi had begin to support orthodox Islam and continued under congress ruling.
Anyway, western world should respond to Marine-Le Pen of France and Geert Wilders of Netherlands for better Secular Nation.
There must be clear cut acceptance that Islam is brain washing theology and secular world must keep its secularity with perfection.
Richard Paulsen says
In 2016 there were some 90.000 mosques in Turkey. One per som 866 inhabitants. Only some 46 churches.
Some 7.000 mosques being built since year 2.000. Churches decreasing. That is the way they intend to force on the rest of the world and especially on Europe.
In Sweden they are building the largest mosque in Scandinavia. It is like an occupation.
They never will have enough. More provocative and belligerent than ever. The only way they know, There countries are so called developing countries, unable of taking responsibility for a decent livingstandard and of respecting others,
They should not be allowed.
Richard Paulsen says
Correction: Line 3 from bottom. “Their countries. “
Brian Hoff says
Turkey will make it than again and NATO and the ECU willdo nothing. It depends on what dateing method you use. The Ox Church use the Justin dateing method they just celibate Christmas have month and they are years behind the Gol dateing method use by the Rome Catholic church and most other christian sect that broke away from Rome Catholic Church in Europe. Then the muslim have they own dateing method.
Baucent says
Another useful contribution from Haji Hoff.
Gen Jones says
Yup. Then the muslim have they own logic-ing method too.
Keys says
LOL !
Wry humor may not be understood by the Western-civilized-good-ole-boy, “Brian Hoff”.
Baucent says
I recommend the Justin Dating Method to Singles everywhere.It’s very effective.
John A. Marre says
Their goal is the complete islamization of the world.
dumbledoresarmy says
Yes. They want to drag all of humanity down into Hell; into a bottomless pit where the antihuman unlaw that is Sharia is enforced by despots and by the Muslim mob, a world that would be without pity, without reason, without joy, without trust or truth; where dogs, our ancient companions for thousands and thousands of years, would be despised and harmed and treated with vile cruelty; where music and art and sculpture would be suppressed and all the glorious things created by every other non-Islamic society would be obsessively *smashed to bits* like the Bamiyan Buddhas were smashed, where women would be hated and treated as things, grudgingly permitted to exist because without them more hateful, violent jihadis cannot be produced.
Islam is damned, and damnable.
carol says
Their Pavlov dog malice is written on so many faces. They and their brains truly need to be monitored and studied. I wonder if the experts would see value in doing this.
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
“500 Years Is Enough!” is what bumper-stickers say when calling for Hagia Sophia to be returned to Christian hands. And speaking of 500 years, we can expect this call for the re-Christianization of Hagia Sophia to be spearheaded by the Lutheran Church, which this Halloween will triumphantly celebrate the 500th anniversary of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninety-five_Theses .
Topic for theological discussion: Quran 9:111 promises salvation in return for kill-and-are-killed jihadery. Is this a form of indulgence-selling?
dumbledoresarmy says
Islam is a death cult; a system of human sacrifice. It has a huge membership, much more than did the Aztec or the thuggee murder cults; but that doesn’t alter the fact that it is a death cult, a religion of murder (and also a religion of rape and robbery).
J Baclavah says
And unethical.
dumbledoresarmy says
From the intro to the article. “If Erdogan had any actual good will toward Europe, he would give Hagia Sophia back to the Orthodox Church, and allow them to reconvert it into a cathedral. :
Yes.
“And if Europeans, and the West in general, had any sense of history or any will to stop the program of conquest and Islamization that Erdogan and other Muslims are pursuing, they would make this a condition of Turkey’s entry into the European Union and continued membership in NATO.”
No. Turkey should not be allowed into the EU under *any* condition, so long as Turkey remains majority-Muslim; and Turkey should be evicted from NATO.
Taurus Caerulus says
It’s only a question of time until the Hagia Sophia turned to a mosque.
And no sorrows , states like Saudi Arabia or Turkey will still fall this decade!
AleX says
Axiom: every mohomedan state is a failed state.
Pal says
Each and EVERY Muslim of the world would DIE OF PLEASURE seeing St Sophia returned back to islam’s fold.
“Radical”, “moderate” “nominal”.
ALL of them – in Turkey and in the World – will be GRATEFUL to Erdogan.
shosh7154 says
catholicisim and islam can co-exist without difficulty and will do so in the near future as witnessed by the current pope’s recognition of islam’s placing mary above her son who must submit to his mother under her authority for him to be blessed. This is the core of catholicism and fits perfectly with the surah/ayah of the quran. Here is the quote from the quran:
He (Mary’s Son) said, ‘Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive and dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.’ That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in dispute. It is not for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.” (Qur’an 19:16-35)
Gen Jones says
The filthy liar Isa is not Jesus. Islam’s claims about Jesus are idiotic and illogical. Muslims can’t parse the Trinity – 3 persons in one God just like water is ice, liquid and steam – an explanation of a transcendent Deity for our human minds. Somehow they have to include Mary and claim Christians, Catholics in particular, worship her. We revere Mary and do not worship her. She is not God, no Christian believes that. Muslims on the other hand worship Mohammad despite claiming to not be polytheists or idolators because Muslims kill over insults to him even more than insults to Allah.
Eur says
Spain has recived thousands of Moroccans in the last years …. and are returning to destroy images of saints, altars, crosses … and virgins. Spain is a Marian country with virgins everywhere … Muslims have Returned and they return to being same. Centuries Christians hid the images of the virgins, the churches were converted into mosques ….. with the reconquest the cristians did the same with the mosques, they turned them into churches. Coexistence, has never existed. The Christian Jesus is not the Isa of Coran. Jesus did not announce to Muhammad, Jesus was incarnate, Jesus died for the sins of the world, Jesus preached love, empathy, forgiveness … he can not Sharing religion with Muhammad. Jesus died and rose again. I am not a believer but it is obvious that the isa of the coran is an adulteration to take value from jesus and give it to Muhammed … to attract the Christians by deceiving them.
Rob says
True.
shosh7154 says
The verse in the quran is referencing the same person, the son of Mary. The point is that both islam and catholicism share the same perception of the woman whose authority exceeds the authority of her son.
Gen Jones says
You are incorrect. Mary’s authority does not exceed her Son’s authority in Catholicism.
shosh7154 says
As Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix she has powers similar to the Messiah which is why there is reliance on the intercession of Mary to save people as the current pope demonstrates here saying that he is going to fatima to entrust the eternal fate of mankind to Mary
http://endtimeheadlines.org/2017/05/pope-francis-im-going-fatima-entrust-eternal-fate-mankind-mary/
Charli Main says
@ Eur,
if I may politely correct you. Christians did not convert Mosques into churches.
They RECONVERTED the churches that had been turned into mosques by the Muslim invaders of Spain.
In other words they took back the religious property THAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGED TO THEM, like the so called Mesquita in Cordoba.
no_one says
If HHagia Sophia becomes a cathedral I would risk going to Turkey to see it. It was the largest and the most beautiful cathedral with the most beautiful mosaics that are know in the Orthodox world to this day. Now satan worshipers want to use it.
ibrahim itace muhammed says
Mr Spencer,ask Spain to return the historical mosques in spain converted to churches and allow muslim moriscos to return.Turkey will remain muslim foreever with fast growing economy even without joining christian Eu
TJ says
I will show you what really matters more than the current state of affairs with buildings. The treatment of women matters more. There are words in the quran which say women should not be out there in the workforce. Also muslim writers order to cut around the clitoris. And more muslim words say women are deranged during menstruation so there relationship with God is not as good as men’s relationship with God. That is your dog in the race, as respect to women. Ours is the miraculous treatment of women which is recorded in the new testament by Jesus. Activity by a Jew that your group systematically tries to hide so he will be less popular than Mohamed and your clerics. Also, Paul said women should not be leaders in the church. The churches that follow Paul on this are doing much better at shutting support for abortion out of their church than those churches who reject Paul’s teaching, so this is a win for Paul and the bible since the bible says God knits life together in the womb. So Paul’s winning strategy against abortion and the miracles of Jesus is our dog in the race. What you really need to win, based on the koran and other words important to many muslims, is for many women to come out of the workplace and stay home and get their clit cut. That is your dog in the race. Why don’t you just quit? Your dog has no chance against the Jews dog, in Turkey or anyone else, when we show up and put him on the track. This is going to be easy. Isaiah 52.7
Carolyne says
What you consider “Historical Mosques” in Spain ae merely stolen churches hat barbarians converted to mosques when they invaded Spain. They are now in possession of their rightful owners, having evicted the squatters.
Terry says
This is a done deal, muslims will get it for a mosque.
If it goes back to a church it will be violently targeted.
Lorn Ferguson says
As a history buff, THIS IS HORRIBLE, as a Christian, THIS IS HORRIBLE! Its another example that any application Erdogan makes towards Christian Europe is fake and insincere(Taqiyya)!!!!! All muslim countries are becoming radical before our very eyes! radicalism is inherent in their cult as its commanded in their koran!!!!! I hope this doesn’t come true. I’m afraid that not enough Americans haved learned the history of the Hagia Sophia to understand its importance! Its been left an inwritten chapter in world history by American Schools!