www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Hagia Sophia - A Church Again

As someone who works for an organization that does grassroots lobbying on behalf of poor and hungry people ( Bread for the World [bread.org] ), I can assure you than Michael_Thoma is absolutely correct. No one in any government, anywhere, is going to pay attention to internet signature petitions; it's too easy to make up names.

And legislative staffers pay far more attention to a handwritten letter than they do to emails, faxes, or preprinted letters or postcards. You may find this annoying, but the reason is simple: It's relatively easy to get people to sign a petition or a preprinted postcard; people who write a handwritten letter in their own words, on the other hand, show that they really care about the issue about which they're writing.

So, here's what I recommend:

• If you live in the US, or if you're a US citizen,
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• (1) write to your US Representative and your two US Senators, asking them to urge President Bush, through his foreign policy, to encourage Turkey to return the Hagia Sophia to the Patriarch of Constantinople, and
• (2) write to President Bush, urging him to to encourage Turkey to return the Hagia Sophia to the Patriarch of Constantinople.

[*]If you live elsewhere or are the citizen of another country, then you can do pretty much the same thing by writing to your Members of Parliament or other national legislators and to your Prime Minister or President.

• <font size="2" face="verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif">This applies even to those who live in the EU; the European Parliament still has much less power than the national legislatures and the heads of government of the EU member-states, so write to your national legislators, rather than to your Europarliamentarians. (Though, of course, it can't hurt to write to your Europarliamentarians in addition.)

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Hoping that we will once again see the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Hagia Sophia is a longshot, but there's no chance whatsoever if we give up hope.


Peace,
Alex NvV

Just a thought here but who is going to pay for the upkeep of the Great Church if it should find it's way back into Church hands? Surely this would be a white elephant and send the Patriarchate broke.

Personally I believe that hell will freeze over first before they hand over that building. Besides as the Patriachate has mega problems in regard to it's property and status in Turkish law that would need to be sorted and very clear.

ICXC
NIKA

Of Course, We also demand justice for the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Turkish Government, needs to also allow then free internal administrative control, and the re opening of the Theological School and all other Schools. As far as the financial burden, those Churches are open to the public who must also donate to their upkeep, and also we in the West and free East need to help our brethren.
Stephanos I

Of Course, We also demand justice for the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Turkish Government, needs to also allow then free internal administrative control, and the re opening of the Theological School and all other Schools. As far as the financial burden, those Churches are open to the public who must also donate to their upkeep, and also we in the West and free East need to help our brethren.
Stephanos I

I wish good things would happen but I can't help feeling negative thoughts on this topic. I can't help but feel that there are too many other issues involved including the poor relationship that seems to go up and down beteen Greece and Turkey. The fact that most Christians have been forced to leave the country and those who are left have lots of problems in regard to their own status in the country.

ICXC
NIKA

In the problematic event of the restoration of Agia Sophia to its proper use, I would anticipate the creation of a charitable foundation (and not based in Turkey!) to underwrite the costs of keeping the Great Church going - and also to enable the various Churches concerned to use the Great Church for pilgrimages from time to time. Just imagine the glories of Holy Week and Pascha!

I was bitterly amused a few years ago - I bought a tourist-targetted video tour of the Great Church, to discover that the Turks' idea of appropriate music was Latin polyphony!

Incognitus

They will play Greek Church music after they have slit their own throats first.

Dear Pavel Ivanovich,

Lead me not into temptation!

Incognitus

Now, now, Incognitus, this is Lent!

Pavel asks:

Just a thought here but who is going to pay for the upkeep of the Great Church if it should find it's way back into Church hands?
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Simple - GOD!

Incognitus I think you may find that there are a few who would not need to much prompting to think such thoughts. They like you will no doubt be making a few prostrations extra to help clear the mind of such passing thoughts.

I fear that when God is the one to pay that is code for the laity , as I think there may be a problem exchanging Anglic Hosts for Turkish Lira .

ICXC
NIKA

Well, God is capable of sending us an infinitely greater amount of gold than the rumored contents of Fort Knox, and He is likely to send us more if we use what He sends in a proper and Christian manner.

Besides, God seldom sends assistance in advance. God is not unlike Corrie ten Boom's father, who used to give the child her railroad ticket just before the conductor came to collect it.

Incognitus

Dear Icognitus you said:

"Besides, God seldom sends assistance in advance."

I say:

Tell me about it!

Zenovia