The 24th of July will be a day of mourning for the Metropolis of Didymoteicho, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Didymoteicho said in a statement, following the decision of the Turkish government to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
“Hagia Sophia is the holy symbol of millions of Orthodox, a sacrosanct ark for the Greeks, the pride of Christianity, an integral part of our civilisation, and it was converted into a mosque again after 86 years”, he said.
He also pointed out that the above decision has given us the opportunity to confront our friends and our enemies: “We have many enemies around us. The West and the East remain silent because they defend their own interests. They betrayed us once again,” he concluded.