Turkish authorities say Erdogan freed Hagia Sophia from shackles

Hagia Sophia. Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr

Fahrettin Altun, the head of the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate, stated that three years ago, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by converting Hagia Sophia into a Muslim mosque, liberated it.

Altun mentioned the prophecy of Turkish symbolist poet Nedim Fazıl Kısakürek about the opening of Hagia Sophia.

"Our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was blessed to fulfill the dream of this Teacher and liberate the Hagia Sophia from its shackles. Praise be to Allah," he wrote on Twitter.

On July 24, 2020, Turkey celebrated the anniversary when the Orthodox Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. Imam Bunyamin Topchuoglu stated that Hagia Sophia became a "symbol of Islam's victory" and also "symbolizes the unity" of the Turkish people.

As reported by the UOJ, earlier in the presidential election campaign, the President of Turkey recorded a video in which he portrayed himself as the rightful person who turned the Hagia Sophia into a mosque.

Read also

Shevchuk tells Budanov of UGCC’s “state-building role”

The head of the Uniates told the head of the Presidential Office that his Church was ready to partner with the state and presented him with a book on the work of special services in the Church.

Authorities decline to disclose Ukraine’s population size

The State Statistics Service acknowledged that it has up-to-date population estimates for the country, but has decided not to make them public.

Lithuanian govt vows to protect Orthodox Church from Russian intelligence

Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has called for curbing the influence of Russian intelligence services on the Church, while an adviser to President Nausėda warned against labeling the entire structure a security threat.

During Ramadan, Patriarch Theodoros hosts Islamic iftar at his residence

Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria hosted a meal for Muslim workers breaking their fast in the courtyard of the Patriarchate and thanked a sheikh for his “brotherhood.”

Lawsuit filed against Patriarch of Constantinople

A Turkish official has accused Patriarch Bartholomew and dozens of clergy of “illegal activity” and violating the Treaty of Lausanne.

OCU cleric buried with Church Slavonic funeral shroud

In the Ternopil Eparchy of the OCU, a cleric was buried under a funeral shroud bearing inscriptions in Church Slavonic.