In its more than 1,400 years of existence, the majestic vaulted structure of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has served as the main cathedral of the Byzantine Empire, a mosque under the Ottoman Empire, and a museum in modern Turkey, attracting millions of tourists each year. .
The 6th century building is now at the center of a heated debate between nationalist, conservative and religious groups pushing for it to be converted into a mosque and those who believe that the UNESCO World Heritage site should remain a museum, what which underlines the status of Istanbul as A bridge between continents and cultures.
On Thursday, the Turkish State Council began considering a request from a group that wants Hagia Sophia to go back to being a mosque, arguing that the historic structure was the personal property of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered Istanbul. A state lawyer urged the council, which is Turkey’s highest administrative court, to reject that request, state media reported.
A decision is expected in two weeks.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who heads an Islamic-oriented party, has previously spoken about the possibility of changing the state of Hagia Sophia to a mosque, but has said his government will await the decision of the State Council.
Analysts believe Erdogan, a populist and polarizing leader who in nearly two decades in office often blamed Turkey’s secular elites for the country’s woes, is using the debate to consolidate his conservative base and divert attention from the issues. Turkey’s substantial economic gains.
Erdogan “feels the pressure of popular support is easing and therefore wants to use themes that he hopes will mobilize his right-wing base around nativist, populist, and anti-elitist themes,” said Soner Cagaptay, author of the book “Erdogan’s Empire.” and A Turkey Analyst for the Washington Institute.
Built under the Byzantine emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the main seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church for centuries, where emperors were crowned amid marble ornaments and ornate mosaics.
After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the city that is now Istanbul, four minarets were added to the terra-cotta-colored structure with cascading domes, and the building became an imperial mosque.
The building opened as a museum in 1935, a year after the decision to do so, which was spearheaded by Turkey’s secular founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Islamist groups, however, strongly oppose its museum status. Large crowds gathered on the outskirts of Hagia Sophia on the May 31 anniversary of the conquest of the city to pray and demand that it be restored as a Muslim place of worship.
In recent years, Turkey has allowed readings of the Koran within Hagia Sophia, and Erdogan himself has recited prayers there. This year, he video-supervised the recital of the “prayer of conquest” on the anniversary of the Ottoman conquest.
On Tuesday, Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, noted that Hagia Sophia had served as a place of worship for Christians for 900 years and for Muslims for 500 years.
“As a museum, Hagia Sophia can function as a place and a symbol of the encounter, dialogue and peaceful coexistence of peoples and cultures, mutual understanding and solidarity between Christianity and Islam,” he said, and then warned: “The potential conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque will convert millions of Christians worldwide against Islam.”
United States Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo also urged Turkey on Wednesday to keep Hagia Sophia as a museum, to serve as “an example of its commitment to respect faith traditions and diverse history.” He called on the government in Ankara to ensure that the structure remains “accessible to all”.
Hours later, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the problem was national. “Hagia Sophia, like all cultural property on our lands, is owned by Turkey,” he said.
Turkish media reports say the government was considering keeping Hagia Sophia open to tourists, even if it were to become a mosque. That state would be similar to the Istanbul Blue Mosque, which is located directly opposite Hagia Sophia and functions as a place of worship and a tourist spot.
Hurriyet and other media reported that Hagia Sophia could be turned into a mosque for a holiday on July 15, when the country marks the fourth anniversary of the failure of a coup attempt.
