Russian Orthodox Church says 'unacceptable' to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque - Ifax | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Sunday
July 13, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2025
Russian Orthodox Church says 'unacceptable' to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque - Ifax

World+Biz

Reuters
04 July, 2020, 08:20 pm
Last modified: 04 July, 2020, 08:23 pm

Related News

  • In video, jailed PKK leader Ocalan says armed struggle with Turkey over
  • Turkey blocks X's Grok chatbot for alleged insults to Erdogan
  • Türkiye Defence Industries secretary meets army chief
  • Sacked Russian transport minister found dead in his car with gunshot wound
  • Bangladesh & WEU inks MoU to promote traditional sports

Russian Orthodox Church says 'unacceptable' to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque - Ifax

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sixth century building at the heart of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of Turkey’s most visited monuments

Reuters
04 July, 2020, 08:20 pm
Last modified: 04 July, 2020, 08:23 pm
FILE PHOTO: Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was a Byzantine cathedral before being converted into a mosque which is currently a museum, is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was a Byzantine cathedral before being converted into a mosque which is currently a museum, is seen in Istanbul, Turkey, June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

Converting Istanbul's Hagia Sophia monument from a museum to a mosque would be "unacceptable", a senior official in the Russian Orthodox Church said on Saturday.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sixth century building at the heart of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of Turkey's most visited monuments.

"We can't go back to the Middle Ages now," Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, said on state television, the Interfax news agency reported.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

"We live in a multipolar world, we live in a multi-confessional world and we need to respect the feelings of believers."

He said the Russian Orthodox Church did not understand the motive for Hagia Sophia's conversion and that it believed domestic politics was behind the move.

"We believe that in the current conditions this act is an unacceptable violation of religious freedom," he was quoted as saying.

A Turkish court earlier this week heard a case aimed at converting the building back into a mosque and will announce its verdict later this month.

The court case, brought by an NGO for preserving historic monuments, disputes the legality of a decision in 1934, in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, to convert Hagia Sophia - known in Turkish as Ayasofya - from a mosque into a museum.

The proposal has been criticised by other religious and political leaders.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque would disappoint Christians and would "fracture" East and West.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Greek government have also urged Turkey to keep the building as a museum.

Erdogan has described foreign criticism over the proposal as an attack on Turkey's sovereignty.

Hagia Sophia / Turkey / Russia / Orthodox Christian / Muslim / Mosque / Unesco

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks at a book unveiling event in Dhaka on 13 July 2025. Photo: Collected
    Fakhrul alleges conspiracy to eliminate Tarique from politics
  • Representational image. Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    Navy-run Dry Dock takeover boosts Ctg Port container handling, daily avg up 7%
  • Bangladesh level the series with dominant 83-run win
    Bangladesh level the series with dominant 83-run win

MOST VIEWED

  • RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman speaks at the press briefing on a fake bomb threat on Biman Bangladesh flight on Saturday, 12 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Mother faked bomb threat on Biman flight to stop married son from flying with girlfriend: RAB
  • Bangladeshi garment workers make clothing in the sewing section of a factory in Gazipur, Bangladesh, April 9, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo
    Some Walmart garment orders from Bangladesh on hold due to US tariff threat
  • Infographic: TBS
    Dollar price plummets by Tk2.9 in a week as demand wanes
  • From Gulf to Southeast Asia, why Bangladeshis are facing visa denials
    From Gulf to Southeast Asia, why Bangladeshis are facing visa denials
  • Bangladesh and US hold tariff talks on 11 July 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    Dhaka, Washington yet to agree on 20% of US tariff conditions: BGMEA
  • Energy Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan speaking about tariff negotiations with United States on 13 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    US wants a framework agreement with Bangladesh that includes their security concerns: Fouzul

Related News

  • In video, jailed PKK leader Ocalan says armed struggle with Turkey over
  • Turkey blocks X's Grok chatbot for alleged insults to Erdogan
  • Türkiye Defence Industries secretary meets army chief
  • Sacked Russian transport minister found dead in his car with gunshot wound
  • Bangladesh & WEU inks MoU to promote traditional sports

Features

Photo: Collected

Grooming gadgets: Where sleek tools meet effortless styles

6h | Brands
The 2020 Harrier's Porsche Cayenne coupe-like rear roofline, integrated LED lighting with the Modellista special bodykit all around, and a swanky front grille scream OEM Plus for the sophisticated enthusiast looking for a bigger family car that isn’t boring. PHOTO: Ahbaar Mohammad

2020 Toyota Harrier Hybrid: The Japanese Macan

1d | Wheels
The showroom was launched through a lavish event held there, and in attendance were DHS Motors’ Managing Director Nafees Khundker, CEO Imran Zaman Khan, and GMs Arman Rashid and Farhan Samad. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

GAC inaugurate flagship showroom in Dhaka

1d | Wheels
After India's visa restriction, China's Kunming is drawing Bangladeshi patients

After India's visa restriction, China's Kunming is drawing Bangladeshi patients

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

When the Threat Is Inside the White House

When the Threat Is Inside the White House

16m | Others
Shooting in Pallabi: What the police are saying

Shooting in Pallabi: What the police are saying

1h | TBS Stories
News of The Day, 13 JULY 2025

News of The Day, 13 JULY 2025

3h | TBS News of the day
Countries where Bangladeshis are not getting positive responses to their visa applications

Countries where Bangladeshis are not getting positive responses to their visa applications

2h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net