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such a wonderful site to see the Hagi Sophia in

http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/chapter_4/html/hagia_sophia.html

Dear Pani Rose,

Thanks for posting the link. My family and I were just there earlier this month and I recommend a visit to the Great Church as form of pilgrimage for all Christians.

Let us pray that someday soon we hear chanted there openly "Agios o Theos" and "Kyrie Eleison."

In Christ,
Andrew

Oh would that be wonderful. That must have been an awesome trip and experience to see it.

Do you think there is a possiblity that the Turkish government will ever allow it? Maybe it would fill up again with worshipers, only this time from all over the world.

Pani Rose

No, the Turks will not allow it, and yes, a once-year Divine Liturgy in Agia Sophia would fill the Greeat Church to capacity.
Incognitus

Yes, we had a wonderful time. we also visited in Albania, (the Former Yogoslav Republic of) Macedonia, and Greece (the Macedonian portion).

If I have learned anything about the Greeks, it is that they usually play their hand well, as they should.

The governments of Greece, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and most of the EU all support eventual membership of the Turkish Republic in the EU.

But look at Cyprus to see how well the Greek plays his cards:

The EU offered Cyprus entry to the EU. Everyone was in favor. Then the Turks said that (the recognized Greek portion of) Cyprus should not be admitted prior to unity with the Northern Turkish portion. The EU said "butt out!" And then the Greeks upped the ante by saying that if the Turks were to oppose entry of a divided Cyprus, the Greeks would be ready to veto any Turkish attempt to enter the EU.

Thus with Hagia Sofia, I believe that its return to the Orthodox Catholic Church (or at least daily access and functional control of the holy spaces) will become a prerequisite for Turkish entry into the EU. All of this will be posed in the context of "Human Rights." If the Turks don't yield, they will face a Greek veto, or so I believe.

In Christ,
Andrew

Incidentally: The Church is already filled to capacity on a daily basis. What is lacking are the prayers.

Perhaps this is a bit sad to put things in financial terms, but when I was there in 2000 our guide mentioned (albeit delicately) that it costs a lot of money to maintain the Great Church - and money is something that the Turkish government is short of. Combine this with the Turks' hope to enter into the EU and maybe, just maybe....

Yours,

hal

Sadly, it will never happen. Islamic law does not allow any building once used as a mosque to be used as a place of worship for another faith. I fear that if Hagia Sophia were ever turned back over to the Orthodox Church, it would be destroyed by terrorists within a month. It is too much of a symbol, you see. Standing there, in the church itself, is awe-inspiring. Pictures do not do it justice, you must be able to stand quietly and absorb it all.

As to money? With millions of tourists, they have the money. Even the new restorations would be sufficiently covered.

Gaudior, who would that it would be otherwise

They charged us a large price to enter, something like 10 to 13 US Dollars per person.

I say Hagia Sophia as a Church again or bust! No EU membership until then.

Since when did the Turkish Republic consider Islamic law?

I agree that terrorists would target it, but it is a rather sturdy building......


In Christ,
Andrew

I'll settle for reopening Halki.

I often pray that the Divine Litugy will be a regular occurence in the Hagia Sophia again. I like to think of this as a similar situation to the Moors in Spain. How long did they hold Spain before the Christians took it back? You will all think I am too cynical, but if the Greeks took back that which rightfully belongs to them, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see the U.S. send troops to keep the Turks in power. The West has truly lost its mind.

Come to think of it, there is a way - heroic but simple and evangelical: convert the Turks. Now wouldn't that be lovely?
Incognitus

What is that, about 25 million Turkish lira or somthing like that?

Yours,

hal

hal,

you've over priced the charge for admission. $10-$13 is currently about $14-$19.5 million TRL. Funny thing, numismatics are charging about $9 USD for a 1998 uncirculated $1 million TRL bank note. That's about a 1350% return on the current worth of the note.

apologies for going off topic.

What is lacking are the prayers.

I would imagine that there are many prayers going up from there just not verbaly, but the insence that took them silently to God, still rises in abstentia.

Pani Rose

Ever since the Fall of Constantinople, and the resulting alienation of the cathedral (Agia Sophia) there has been a pleasant custom used in functioning Orthodox churches in the Queen City. Instead of simply praying "for this holy house", the deacon prays for "this holy Great Church of Christ". The point is that nothing and no one can prevent us from spiritually offering our prayers in the cathedral, and that we shall continue to do so.
It remains unbearably painful to stand in the actual building of Agia Sophia with the awareness that it is against the law to show any sign of offering a Christian prayer.
Incognitus