Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expresses sadness and shock commenting on efforts to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque……..
“Τι μπορώ να πω ως χριστιανός κληρικός και Έλληνας πατριάρχης στην Κωνσταντινούπολη; Instead of uniting, a legacy 1.500 years separates us. Είμαι λυπημένος και συγκλονισμένος”, Speaking to the Washington Post, Ecumenical Patriarch Bathrolomaios stressed on the occasion of the recent statements of Turkish President Erdogan on the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque..
” Επιβιώσαμε 17 αιώνες και εφόσον είναι θέλημα θεού θα μείνουμε εδώ για πάντα” The patriarch added, answering the journalist's question about how many Christian temples, empty, they could stay upright when few Greeks now live in Constantinople.
The detailed report refers to the provocative rhetoric of Recep Tayyip Erdogan with the media talking about toxic language in the discussion about Hagia Sophia, which, as he states underlines the centuries of religious rivalry in this part of the world.
At the same time, the Washington Post, reminds that at the end of May, Erdogan participates with video call in a reading of the verse "Conquest" by Hagia Sophia, "We will leave behind a Turkey that befits our ancestor Fatih the Conqueror."
"Hagia Sophia instead of being demolished with a religious hatred, it was further embellished as a Right to Fall, offered to Muslims. But in places, which we were forced to abandon a century ago, our religious monuments and symbols have disappeared. Look at Athens today, we don't have our own mosque. ", Erdogan had mentioned the issue.