Hagia Sophia
Europe
Archbishop Elpidophoros Slams Turkey as Erdogan Celebrates Hagia Sophia Anniversary
Archbishop Elpidophoros issued a statement on the occasion of the first anniversary of the conversion of Hagia Sophia into an Islamic mosque.
Diplomacy
US State Department Slams Turkey on Ecumenical Patriarchate, Hagia Sophia
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken addressed reporters after the release of the 2020 Religious Freedom Report, making no mention of Turkey.
Europe
“There’s No God But Allah” in Hagia Sophia Notes Turkey
Turkey illuminated Hagia Sophia, the historic Byzantine Church, now turned mosque, with a "There's No God But Allah" sign on Saturday.
Archaeology
United States and Turkey Sign Cultural Property Agreement
The United States and Turkey signed a "Cultural Property Agreement" on Tuesday which ostensibly calls for the protection of cultural property in Turkey but has set off alarm bells in the academic community, with many fearing that it paves...
Culture
Erdogan: Conversion of Hagia Sophia into Mosque "Crown of 2020"
In an address to the nation, Turkish President Erdogan called his decision to convert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque the "crown of 2020."
Culture
Council of Europe Condemns Conversion of Hagia Sophia from Museum to Mosque
In an official statement released on Friday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) condemned Turkey's July 13 decision to convert the Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque.
PACE's Committee on Culture, Science, Education & Media...
Culture
Archdiocese of North America Petitions UN on Hagia Sophia Reconversion
It was announced on Tuesday that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is petitioning United Nations experts to hold the Republic of Turkey accountable for what the archdiocese calls "its deliberate policies to erase the cultural heritage of Orthodox...
Greek church
Archbishop Elpidophoros Calls for Continued Orthodox – Catholic Dialogue
Greek Orthodox Archbishop of the Americas Elpidophoros spoke on Monday evening at Fordham University as part of its Christ and Anastasia Economos lecture series, lauding the solidarity he had found with Catholic Cardinal Dolan of New York and calling...
Archaeology
“Preposterous” US-Turkey Deal Could Lead to Pillage of Cultural Heritage
In these days of severely heightened tensions originating from Turkey's repeated incursions into the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean in search of oil and gas, even the sending of warships to accompany drilling vessels there, it appears yet another...
World
Syrian City Lays Cornerstone for New Hagia Sophia Cathedral
In war-torn Syria, as citizens try to deal with an almost total breakdown of their society after their country served as a battleground for many opposing forces, Orthodox Christians have decided to build a replica of the Hagia Sophia...