Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

The Islamic-conservative government of Turkey is planning to convert the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul – which has been used as a museum since 1935 – back into a mosque. Last Thursday (July 2, 2020) Turkey's Supreme Administrative Court declared that it would rule on the matter by next Thursday, July 16.

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) is now calling on the mosque communities in Germany to show solidarity with Christian believers in Turkey. Dr. Kamal Sido, Middle East Consultant of the STP, suggested that the large DITIB mosque in Cologne-Ehrenfeld and other communities of the Turkish-Islamic Union of the Institute for Religion (Turkish: Diyanet ??leri Türk ?slam Birli?i, D?T?B) and other mosques could put the Christian crosses on display in their mosques for 482 hours – symbolizing the 482 years in which the Hagia Sophia in former Constantinople was used as a mosque. In this way, Muslim associations could protest against the possible conversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque, and the German-Muslim associations, especially DITIB, could support the harassed and persecuted Christians and other religious communities in the Islamic world.

"A sign of solidarity is important to promote and strengthen mutual respect, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence in Turkey, Germany, and the whole world," Sido emphasized. "Even 567 years after the conquest of Constantinople, the Hagia Sophia is still of great significance for the Christian communities in the Middle East, which are under pressure today." For the Christians, it is a symbol of their long history in the region and an important part of for their identity. "The Hagia Sophia should remain an accessible place of interest in Istanbul, a message from the Turkish state to all Christians in the Middle East and all over the world," Sido added. "The country could show that it respects the heritage of the peoples who once lived on its territory. This issue could contribute to reconciliation with the descendants of the victims of persecution and genocide in the Ottoman Empire and in today's Republic of Turkey, or it could do just the opposite. Most recently, radical Islamists – tolerated or supported by Turkey – destroyed many Christian churches in Iraq, Syria, and other countries. Also, many Yazidi churches, monuments, cemeteries, and other sanctuaries were destroyed or looted.

The Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century in the Byzantine Empire. After Constantinople was invaded by troops of the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque in 1453. As of 1934, it was used as a museum. Since then, a possible conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque has been discussed again and again. Before the local elections of 2014 and 2019, Erdogan's Islamic-conservative government demanded the re-conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in order to win the votes of strict Muslims. In June 2016, the building was used as a mosque for a short time during the month of Ramadan.