Erdogan: Five years ago, we freed Hagia Sophia from chains

The interior of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul. Photo: UOJ

On July 10, 2025, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement on the fifth anniversary of the change in status of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul – from a museum to a mosque. This was reported by the Turkish resource Haberler.

The head of Turkey published the following message on his social media:
"Five years ago today, we broke its chains and reunited Ayasofya with the call to prayer. God willing, it will remain free forever."

Alongside the President, the ruling Justice and Development Party also marked the anniversary, stating: "By the will of Allah, the sound of the Quran from the domes of Hagia Sophia and the call to prayer from its minarets will never cease."

The Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century as the main cathedral of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque by order of Sultan Mehmed II. In 1934, by the decision of Kemal Ataturk's government, the cathedral was granted museum status, and in 1985 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

On July 10, 2020, after 86 years as a museum, Erdogan signed a decree returning Hagia Sophia to mosque status. This decision was made shortly after the Turkish State Council annulled Ataturk's decree.

Despite Ankara's official assurances of Hagia Sophia's "accessibility" for all, Christian communities and international experts point out that since then, the cathedral has suffered damage and loss of cultural heritage. The extensive use of the building for worship purposes, the covering of Byzantine mosaics, and the political rhetoric surrounding the shrine raise concerns and are perceived as a consistent displacement of the Christian symbol from public consciousness.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Syria, leaflets calling for killing Christians appeared on the doors of churches.

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