Hagia Sophia - Time to restore to a Christian Cathedral

http://www.hagiasophiablog.com ^ | March 7, 2006 | Angeliki Papagika

[eleni121]

The European Union Parliament is pressuring the Turkish Government to restore Saint Sophia Cathedral from a museum into a Greek Orthodox Church.

However the Parliament has set a requirement of 1.000.000 signatures on a petition before it makes this conversation a prerequisite for Turkey's admission into the European Union.

You are requested to cast your vote by logging on to the link above. This is an opportunity for each of you to have an impact on world events.

Get as many Greek Orthodox, other Orthodox and Christian friends of yours to sign the petition and make history.

[eleni121]

Hope everyone can help

[eleni121]

BUMP

[King Prout]

I'd like that.
any chance of making them return the city to its rightful name (constantinople) and its rightful owners (greece)?

[Gator101]

I believe it was once used as a Mosque. I wouldn't be surprised if some Islamic fanatics would see this as giving up an Islamic "gain" and attempt to blow it up.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Wonderful idea.

The new Emperor Justinian ordered that construction begin on a new basilica such as had never been seen before. The construction work lasted from 532 to 537; the new church was consecrated by Patriarch Menas on December 27, 537.

[You Dirty Rats]

any chance of making them return the city to its rightful name (constantinople) and its rightful owners (greece)?

Easy -- just resurrect Alex the Great or Belisarius or Heraclius or Basil II and have that great leader drive the Turks out.

[Publius6961]

Time to restore to a Christian Cathedral

For Hagia Sophia, sign me up for a $1000 contribution...
(No I am not rich.)

[Alexander Rubin]

Maybe the Jews can help too?

[eleni121]

any chance of making them return the city to its rightful name (constantinople) and its rightful owners (greece)?

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Although there are those who would sincerely wish that to happen..I doubt if it will...in our lifetimes.

That said, other artificial states like Turkey have imploded from within...Turkey seems to be going down the path of failure.

[eleni121]

Ping to your lists.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Signed.

[eleni121]

For Hagia Sophia, sign me up for a $1000 contribution...
(No I am not rich.)

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You are indeed blessed. I don't know if there is a fund to do this...but what a wonderful show of support for this monument to Christian heritage!

[eleni121]

Efharisto poli!!!

[eleni121]

PIng for your lists!

[cchandler]

I disagree with this. Do we tear down the minerettes too, which are incredibly historic in their own right, if not as old as the former cathedral? As much as I'd like to go back in time to see the Hagia Sophia as it was during the peak of Constantinople, the city is not Constantinople anymore. Let the Turks take care of the building any way they want. It is revered, and it will always be protected. Plus it is better served as a museum than as an active church.

We can't just demand that the Roman colliseum be returned into a working stadium, or that the Mount Vernon be sold to a family hoping to make it a home again, can we? But if we must demand things of other people, why don't we all demand that Egypt rebuild the Lighthouse of Alexandria, or that Rhodes rebuilds the Colossus.

Actually, that would be really cool. Maybe we should start a petition for that.

[Young Werther]

The Empress Theodora was an exotic dancer and caught Justinian's eye at a Byzantine era Disco! He had to modify some laws in order to marry an "entertainer" but what a marriage. She helped design many churches, including Hagia Sophia. She labored to have the laws changed to better the lot of women and she is pictured with raised sword when she spoke out against an insurrection which threatened the crown!

When Constantinople was sacked during one of the Crusades a tiled picture of Theodora was carried off to Ravenna Italy where it resides to this day.

If you google Theodora you'll find a story of a Women's lib heroine almost 1500 years before Ms Freidan!!! When I took my History of Greece course my Prof was Dr. Charanis who was one of the six world renowned Byzantine Scholars. We felt that if Byzantium ever arose from the ashes he would be first in line to fill Justinian's shoes!!!

[indcons]

BUMP

[indcons]

I think you'll get support from all non-muslims for this noble cause.

[redgolum]

Signed this already. Doubt that in the present climate Turkey would hand it over though.

[King Prout]

Belisarius would be great.
Alexander the Maniac may rest in peace, thank you.