Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens expressed his opinion from Valyra, in Messinia, that the Turks would not dare to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
“They play with any games they can get their hands on. This is also a game. I believe that they will not dare to do such thing,” the Archbishop of Athens said on the Greek channel Mesogeios TV.
Then, when he was asked about the stance taken by the Church and the State in the management of the coronavirus pandemic, the Archbishop of Athens pointed out that the way the situation was handled was prudent. “The State fulfilled its duty and based on how things appear to be, it has acted quickly and effectively. May God help us not to have to face such trials again,” he added.
It is recalled that a few days ago the Turkish court ruled that Kemal Ataturk’s 1934 decree on the status of Hagia Sophia as a museum was and is legal, but noted that the current Turkish head of state had the right to decide whether to change it or not.
During the proceedings, it is recalled that the Association for the Support of Ancient Monuments and the Environment filed a petition to examine whether Kemal Ataturk’s signature on the 1934 decree was authentic or false. The Supreme Court ruled that it was a legitimate decision to protect the museum status of Hagia Sophia, but noted that a presidential decree was enough to change it.
