In 537, the Hagia Sophia was completed, as a church, in Constantinople. It remained the largest and grandest church in Christendom for nearly a millennium, until it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453. The Muslims soon destroyed the bells, altar, iconostasis, and other relics, and the mosaics depicting Jesus, his mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were eventually destroyed or plastered over. Islamic features – such as the mihrab (a niche in the wall indicating the direction toward Mecca, for prayer, the minbar (pulpit), and four minarets – were added. It remained a mosque until 1931 when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey, the secularist state created by Kemal Ataturk. It officially remains a museum until today, but it is steadily assuming more and more features of a mosque. And any day now, in the re-islamizing spirit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, many believe the museum will almost certainly again become a mosque. But the Turkish tourism industry may have its own ideas.
In May 2019, Erdoğan said: “A short time ago [is 85 years such a short time?] they [the Kemalists] converted the Hagia Sophia from a mosque to a museum. Inshallah, after the election, we will convert it – namely, from a museum back into a mosque.” Even before Erdogan’s ascendance, beginning in 1980 the Islamic call to prayer was recited in the building. But those were performed by individual Muslims, without any official sanction. Ever since Erdogan has been in power, there have been discussions in the government about converting the building back into a mosque.
On May 30, 2016, the 563rd anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople, supporters of the Saadet (“Felicity”) party, an Islamist party, wearing t-shirts that said “Shoes cannot be worn in a mosque,” took their shoes off at the entrance of the Hagia Sophia and walked around inside without their shoes on. In their reasoning, by taking their shoes off as they would have had to do in a mosque, this made the building less like a museum, and more like a mosque.
During Ramadan in June 2016, the Ministry of Religious Affairs televised a special program on its Diyanet TV channel in which verses from the Quran and calls of tekbir (“Say: Allah is greater”) were recited from the minarets of the Hagia Sophia. Everyone understood this as one more step in the museum-to-mosque transformation.
In October 2016, Turkey’s Ministry of Religious Affairs appointed an imam to the Hagia Sophia. This was the first time since 1931 that the building had an imam. Prayers were now performed regularly. Noon and afternoon prayers had been heard in the building since 1991, but since late 2016 all five of the canonical daily prayers have been performed.
Now that both the Friday Prayers, presided over by the appointed imam, and the five daily prayers (one of them being the Friday Prayers), were being heard, it was natural for Erdogan in 2018 to promise that he would turn the Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque. He reiterated that promise in March of 2019: “Hagia Sophia will no longer be memorialised as a museum. Hagia Sophia will be commemorated as a mosque. This is our people’s expectation, and that of the Muslim world. Our people have longed to see Hagia Sophia as a mosque for years.”
And a recent decision by Turkey’s Council of State provides him with more support for turning Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. The decision was not about the Hagia Sophia itself, but about the second great Christian church-turned-museum in Istanbul, the Church of St. Savior in Chora. This medieval building, a thousand years old, was converted into the Kariye Mosque in the early 16th century by an Ottoman vizier, and was then designated a museum by the Turkish government in 1945. Its 14th-century frescos and mosaics are regarded as among the world’s finest examples of Byzantine art. Most of those frescoes and mosaics were plastered over by Muslims while the building was a mosque, which allowed them to avoid the kind of destruction that was visited upon the interior of the Hagia Sophia.
Turkey’s Council of State, the country’s top administrative court, in November 2019 ruled that the cabinet decision in 1945 that made Kariye a museum was unlawful because a mosque “cannot be used except for its essential function.” In other words, once a mosque, always a mosque. Ataturk and his secularist followers be damned. The Council of State ordered that the museum of the Church of St. Savior in Chora be turned back into a mosque.
The ruling has obvious repercussions for other monuments from Turkey’s Christian past, especially the Hagia Sophia. Islamists have long prayed for both the Chora Church and the Hagia Sophia to reopen as mosques, arguing that their neutral status is an affront to the Ottoman caliph’s decrees forbidding other uses. And now it has so been ordered for the Chora Church and, by obvious implication, the Hagia Sophia. Two of the most important Christian sites will again be full-fledged mosques. Will the masterpieces of Byzantine art in the Chora Church again be plastered over so as not to offend Muslim worshippers? It would be a great loss for world art. And what would happen to what remains of the Christian art on the walls of Hagia Sophia – much of it was destroyed, vandalized by Muslims when the building was used as a mosque, though some still exists, albeit damaged –if that building again becomes a mosque?
The two sites are inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage list, which recognises the “architectural masterpieces” of Istanbul. The agency has said in the past that changes in the status of the city’s historic monuments would undermine their heritage value. If Chora Church and Hagia Sophia again become mosques – and their Christian art covered over and no longer visible to visitors — will they lose their prized places on that World Heritage list?
Other Byzantine sites converted into mosques have covered frescos to comply with Islamic tenets prohibiting the use of images. But for much of the Ottoman period, Muslims worshipped at Chora and other former churches in view of the art, says Edhem Eldem, a professor of history at Bogazici University. Turning Chora into a museum served as a compromise between Muslims and Christians, he says, adding that the current uneasiness around Turkey’s Byzantine heritage is part of the “politics of populism that appeal to basic feelings of ethnic, national and religious identity.”
The Hagia Sophia is the most important attraction for visitors – at least two million a year – in all of Turkey. Will Christians continue to visit Istanbul when its two most famous Christian sites have become mosques, or will seeing them thus transformed, and with their Christian art likely covered over, be too painful for Christian visitors? Many businesses and jobs in Istanbul depend on tourism, and especially on Christian tourists who come to see the Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church. Might the economic interests of those many Turks whose livelihood depends on tourism in the end prove too powerful politically for Erdogan to overcome?
Erdogan’s party has already lost Turkey’s three major cities – Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir –to the opposition. He could be put on the defensive by his political opposition, which could argue that in turning the Chora Church museum back into a mosque, he had done enough of what his Muslim followers wanted, but that were he to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the economic damage to the country, in its loss of tourism dollars – currently Turkey derives $40 billion from its tourism industry – would be catastrophic. Turkey’s economic situation is already parlous; it doesn’t need any self-inflicted wounds. Besides, that secularist opposition could note, in Hagia Sophia, despite its status as a museum, the five daily prayers are said and the building has been assigned its own imam. Erdogan could argue that the museum has thereby effectively taken on the most important aspects of a mosque. “It is again a mosque in the hearts of Believers.” All Turks would understand that he had been made to realize the possibly grievous damage to tourism, should Hagia Sophia be officially declared a mosque, and the damage as well to his own political fortunes, for the tourism business in Turkey constitutes a powerful economic lobby. And he might add, “if we have allowed Hagia Sophia to continue to be described, for our millions of Christian visitors, as a museum, that is only out of our kindness to those visitors.”
Jim says
We don’t often consider that it was the 4th Crusade which was the beginning of the end of the Byzantine empire. If not for the 4th Crusade, there is no telling how long the Byzantine empire (and therefore the Hagia Sophia) would have lasted.
The 4th Crusade eliminated the Byzantine empire in 1204. The empire was reestablished about 50 years later, but it had been mortally wounded by the Latins who took it over. When the Ottomans took Constantinople about 200 years later, they were basically just finishing off an almost dead empire.
Rbla says
The 4th Crusade didn’t end. It has simply assumed a new form as the Western heirs of Latin Christendom turned against Russia, the heir to Byzantium. Even today it continues with the Russophobia, the Russian collusion nonsense that has derailed Trump’s plan to improve relations with Russia. Admittedly Russia is an autocracy but we have working relationships with many autocratic regimes. There is no major ideological conflict since Russia is no longer communist; indeed it’s leader invokes God in his speeches and is pals with the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church. Consider how while Clinton was engaged in his criminal war against Russia’s little brother Serbia, he opened up Communist China, ushered them into the WTO and allowed our high technology to be exported to them. He was supported in this by US manufacturers and multinational businesses who shipped much of our manufacturing base there including medicals and pharmaceuticals. All to take advantage of China’s cheap compliant pool of coolie labor. So while the geniuses in our business, government and media elites were busy drumming up a 5th crusade against Russia, they built up China into a globe encompassing power. Today we must ask “gee guys, how is all this globalism working out for us?”
mortimer says
Foolish twaddle. Russia is not the ‘New Rome’. You are smoking something hallucinogenic.
Rbla says
Your detailed historical analysis is quite admirable. Stay healthy; don’t forget to take your meds. I understand a new supply has just arrived from a lab in Wuhan China.
gravenimage says
Jim wrote:
We don’t often consider that it was the 4th Crusade which was the beginning of the end of the Byzantine empire. If not for the 4th Crusade, there is no telling how long the Byzantine empire (and therefore the Hagia Sophia) would have lasted.
The 4th Crusade eliminated the Byzantine empire in 1204. The empire was reestablished about 50 years later, but it had been mortally wounded by the Latins who took it over. When the Ottomans took Constantinople about 200 years later, they were basically just finishing off an almost dead empire.
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The behavior of some involved in the Fourth Crusade in sacking Constantinople was unconscionable and certainly didn’t help matters. But the idea that 1204 marked the end of the Byzantine Empire and was the fault of the ‘filthy Infidels’ is absurd.
The Byzantine Empire had been under siege by ravening Muslims ever since 674 AD, and the attacks never really stopped. It would take Muslims almost 700 years to destroy Byzantium.
This from Rbla is even sillier, though. Is he still ticked off that Communism was unable to go global? Wasn’t the suffering of the Iron Curtain bad enough?
Rezali Mehil says
Salaam Graven,
Your ancestors were to lazy to defend the empire. You had other interests like going against christian Russians… I mean how stupid can you be … root of the problem …money and wealth.
Nothiing much has changed even now… France has built the B4 lab for China … for a bit of money and look where we are today.
France torched the Notre-Dame to deflect from the yellow vest marched … at least we look after own … that is why you are the polluted descendent ones from pigs and apes and like truffles.
more later … BTW my salaam to Dennis (who is no doubt in the way, now that he is at home)
Rezali
Rbla says
Actually it did go global. It left Russia, thanks largely to the great Ronald Reagan, which has now reverted back to an unpleasant but non communist autocracy. But thanks to the Clinton administration and the greedy seekers after cheap labor, it has been strengthened in China from out of which the Wuhan virus now afflicts us.
gravenimage says
Rbla’s blaming the United States for the spread of Communism is ludicrous calumny.
gravenimage says
More from the grotesque Rezali Mehi:
Salaam Graven,
Your ancestors were to (sic) lazy to defend the empire. You had other interests like going against christian Russians… I mean how stupid can you be … root of the problem …money and wealth.
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Of course, Rezali Mehil does nothing but sneer at the victims of Islam. And no–Britain had very little to do with Russia during the 15th century. But why would anyone expect this Mohammedan to know anything about history?
Then, her inveighing against money and wealth is hilarious, given her having taken advantage of the British taxpayer for many years. But then, like most Muslims, she only disdains *earning* money. She is very much in favor of Muslims imposing Jizya, tribute, and enslaving Infidels.
More:
Nothiing (sic) much has changed even now… France has built the B4 lab for China … for a bit of money and look where we are today.
……………………………
Like so many Mohammedans, this moron thinks that the “filthy Infidels” developed Covid-19. Really, where would Muslims be without their ludicrous conspiracy theories? Is she drinking plenty of camel urine to ward it off? Many of her coreligionists are doing just that.
More:
France torched the Notre-Dame to deflect from the yellow vest marched (sic) …
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The claim that France torched one its great treasures because of protests is grotesque–but again, this is the way Muslims “think”. Of course, I use the term loosely.
More:
at least we look after own … that is why you are the polluted descendent (sic) ones from pigs and apes and like truffles.
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Right. Muslims “looking after their own” is why Rezali Mehil’s family had to flee Pakistan–because Sunnni Muslims were slaughtering Shia there. They had to flee to the West to find safety.
And doesn’t she know that only Jews are supposed to have been turned into “apes and pigs”? But then, when have Mohammedans ever made much of a distinction between Infidels? They want to murder us all.
More:
more later … BTW my salaam to Dennis (who is no doubt in the way, now that he is at home)
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My husband is not named Dennis–so why does Rezali Mehil call him that? “Dennis” is British slang for a nice guy. Rezali Mehil is so twisted that she considers this to be an insult.
He really is a “Dennis”, by the way.
And, as I have said any number of times here, my husband has been mostly working from home for years now. He went into the office maybe once a month, for a handful of face to face meetings, or traveled around the country to meet with clients.
So he has been home most of the time–this at least is not much different.
Of course, Rezali Mehil as a Muslim cannot fathom the idea that a woman can actually love her husband without being threatened to say she does. Nor can she grasp that some Infidel men are actually a delight to be around. I love my husband, and very much enjoy spending time with him.
And if either of us needs time to ourselves or to be with friends, we can just say so.
Rezali Mehil cannot conceive of a marriage that was not forced, and that does not include beatings and threats.
Even though she wants to impose all of the horrors of Islam on us–she has said that my husband should “marry” a little child and make me sleep on the floor–I cannot help but feel sorry for her. That she is missing even the possibility of a loving marriage is just sad.
GreekEmpress says
A really detailed and excellent read about this subject and time period is “Byzantium: The Decline and Fall” by John Julius Norwich”. It’s the third book in a trilogy of the history of the Eastern Roman Empire.
GreekEmpress says
PS.
Zoe/Sophia Palaiogina, niece of Constantine XI, the last Emperor of Byzantium, married Ivan III of Russia, and hoped very much that Moscow would be the “Third Rome’.
TruthSeeker says
This is exactly what was done in India, no thanks to Islamic invasions. Thousands of ancient Hindu temples were destroyed and mosques built over the same ruins using the temple pillars. Leave alone feeling any remorse for what the Islamists have done, Indian Muslims will cry foul about islamophobia if Hindus even bring up the subject.
mortimer says
Response to TS: Mohammed commanded his followers to conquer the Roman and Persian empires. Constantinople is a ‘fulfilled prophecy’ in the mind of Mohammedans. The Western Powers should have kicked Turkey out of Europe in 1918.
gravenimage says
Grimly true, TruthSeeker.
mortimer says
Boycott all Turkish goods and services. Turkey is not upholding the human rights of its minorities.
Hagia Sophia was stolen from the Eastern Church. Hagia Sophia is the seat of the Orthodox Catholic Church (that is the real name of the Eastern Church). Turkey should give it back and the tourist trade to Turkey will increase exponentially … don’t the Turks get it?
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman Empire for hundreds of years and its Roman architectural ruins are a draw for tourism.
mortimer says
Visiting a mosque is not a draw for tourists. Only 15% of Mohammedans attend the mosque.
Go ahead. Sabotage your country somewhere, Erdogan, you chump!
Honest Ali says
The Hagia Sophia never stopped being a mosque… it was only temporarily disused as a mosque. If anyone had really cared, it would have been turned back into a church.
But no one has the moral courage to do that. And that is why Islam is winning.
David Grisez says
We know that Islam has a history that goes back to the time of Muhammad that where ever Muslims have conquered nations, the Muslims destroyed churches and temples and other places of worship, then rebuilt on the ruins of these places of worship many mosques. In other cases Muslims took churches in a conquered land and converted them into mosques. This is what Muslims did to Hagia Sophia Church and they did this to a church in Cordoba Spain. The Muslims do this as a symbol of Islamic power, might and rule. Since Erdogan wants to form a new Ottoman Empire he now wants to turn Hagia Sophia back into a Mosque that will symbolize Islamic power, might and rule.
gravenimage says
Will Hagia Sophia Again Become a Mosque?
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It will if Erdogan has anything to do with it.
Curt Kingsbury says
Rezali Mehil -YOU go meet your “maker” ALLAH! YOU are the one of a level FAR below that of filthy swine, as you said!! That of cockroaches.