The somber one-year anniversary of the conversion of the Great Church of God Sophia into a mosque, for no real reason, points out in a pastoral and archdiocesan circular issued by Archbishop of America Elpidophoros.
"The day is gloomy, underlined, not only for orthodox Christians, but also for all people who perceive with sobriety and impartiality that Hagia Sophia is not just a holy place for all orthodox Christians, but a unique symbol that characterizes our faith and our culture and which as a cultural monument could continue to function as a museum with respect for the history and the sanctity of the space. Nevertheless, emphasizes, in a city with many places dedicated to Islamic worship, its conversion into an Islamic mosque was used to send a message to the country's religious minorities, watering the tree of nationalism".
"For this reason, concludes the Archbishop of America, we mourn not only today but every day until justice is done for the Great Church. Hagia Sophia, which is the diamond handed down to us by the Byzantine Civilization, it could remain a space for dialogue between cultures and religions, as every culture and every religion deserves our respect. And, but if its cult character had absolutely to be restored, then surely this should be identified with the original purpose of its construction".
According to Archbishop Elpidophoros, “until our prayers are answered, we must intensify our efforts by helping in every way the Great Church of Christ, our Ecumenical Patriarchate".