JAKARTA - The great leader of Catholics, Pope Francis expressed his offense and sorrow at Turkey's decision to make the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul a mosque. The Pope revealed this during the weekly blessing in St. Peter's Square, Vatican, Sunday, July 13.
The Pope added to the long list of world religious leaders who rejected the change of Hagia Sophia's status from a museum to a mosque. Before the Pope, the World Council of Churches and the spiritual leaders of Orthodox Christianity in Istanbul spoke the same way. They called Erdogan's move disappointing.
"My mind is in Istanbul. I am thinking of Saint Sophia and I am very sad," said the Pope.
Regarding this decision, UNESCO through the World Heritage Committee will review the status of the Hagia Sophia as a world heritage. UNESCO views that changing the status of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque will have a major impact on the universal value of the Hagia Sophia.
The debate about changing the function of the Hagia Sophia is widespread in Turkey. For nationalists and conservatives alike, they have long wanted to pray at the Hagia Sophia as a mosque. Because, for them, the Hagia Sophia is a legacy of Ottoman Muslims.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was one of the main initiators of this decision, called the changing of Hagia Sophia's status as Turkish sovereignty. Erdogan is flinching against criticism.
Hagia Sophia even immediately held the first Friday prayers on July 24. Even so, Erdogan guaranteed the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia would remain open to Christians and other religions in the world.
Not all Muslims agreeEven so, not all Muslims agree with changing the status of the Hagia Sophia to a mosque. As quoted by ABC News, some Muslim leaders believe the Hagia Sophia would be better served as a museum. The status of the Hagia Sophia museum will be a symbol of solidarity between Christianity and Islam.
Historically, the Hagia Sophia was an important place of worship for Orthodox Christians for centuries, until Istanbul - which later became known as Constantinople - fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Since then, the Hagia Sophia has been built into a mosque.
Then, after the presence of the Republic of Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the status of Hagia Spohia was changed to a museum in 1934. The status lasted until the day Erdogan announced the decision to return the Hagia Sophia to a mosque.
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