• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Orthodox Times (en)
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
No Result
View All Result
Orthodox Times (en)
No Result
View All Result

New provocation by Turkey: Greece must get rid of its complex about Hagia Sophia

May 30, 2020 | 15:25
in FrontPage, Politics
New provocation by Turkey: Greece must get rid of its complex about Hagia Sophia

Ayasofya Wallpaper

Spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hami Aksoy responded to the statement made by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs that condemned the provocative action of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding the reading of passages from the Quran inside Hagia Sophia.

“Greece continues to make statements that are futile and inefficient every time the Quran is read in Hagia Sophia,” he said in a statement. “The importance of mutual respect is being understood in Europe, and therefore prayers are being heard from the minarets, whereas the only European country that does not have a mosque in its capital was bothered by the fact that the Quran was read in Hagia Sophia. This is a good example so as to better understand the mentality of this country, ” he added.

The spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry accused Athens of the fact that “there was recent memory of the efforts to silence the Muslim call to prayer in Western Thrace, which has been heard for centuries, under the pretext of COVID-19.”

“Turkey has not acted against its global monumental status, nor has it acted contrary to the 1972 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” he said. “Hagia Sophia will remain an important and valuable monument for Turkey and humanity will continue to protect it. We call on Greece to get rid of its complex that has historic causes.”

The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement yesterday in which it was stated, “Friday’s reading of passages from the Quran inside Hagia Sophia, a global monument protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site that has functioned as a museum since 1935, is not only an unacceptable attempt to alter the site’s designation as a monument, but also an affront to the religious sentiment of Christians throughout the world.”

He further stated, “This action is an insult to the international community and once again exposes Turkey, which has an obligation to respect both the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and UNESCO, of which it is a member. We once again call on Turkey to respect its international obligations and stop putting domestic expediencies ahead of its very privileged role as guardian of a monument as important as Hagia Sophia, which belongs to all of humanity.”

The “show” staged by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lasted about 1.5 hours and was broadcast live on Turkish television. During the event, passages from the Quran were read in the Hagia Sophia as it was announced by the Turkish president. A model of the Wall of Constantinople was erected outside the Hagia Sophia Museum by the Turkish state television (TRT) in order to represent the Fall of Constantinople on 29 May 1453. The whole country watched on television the wall being collapsed right in front of Hagia Sophia.

Tags: GreecePoliticsTurkey

Follow OrthodoxTimes.com on Google News and learn all the news about Orthodoxy in Greece and worldwide.

All the latest developments in the Orthodox world, society and humankind, at the moment they happen, at OrthodoxTimes.com


Related Posts

Greek PM visited Xenophontos Monastery, concluded his visit to Mount Athos
Politics

Greek PM visited Xenophontos Monastery, concluded his visit to Mount Athos

July 5, 2025
Greek PM visited Iviron and Simonopetra Monasteries at Mount Athos
Politics

Greek PM visited Iviron and Simonopetra Monasteries at Mount Athos

July 5, 2025
Prime Minister’s remarks from Mount Athos on Sinai and the Middle East
Politics

Prime Minister’s remarks from Mount Athos on Sinai and the Middle East

July 4, 2025
Greek PM: Mount Athos is a “luminous center of spiritual offering”
Politics

Greek PM: Mount Athos is a “luminous center of spiritual offering”

July 4, 2025
Greek PM arrived at Mount Athos
Politics

Greek PM arrived at Mount Athos

July 4, 2025
Mitsotakis in Cairo for 7th Trilateral Meeting of Egypt – Greece – Cyprus
Politics

Greek PM to visit Mount Athos on Friday

July 3, 2025
Load More
Next Post
Turkey’s provocations regarding Hagia Sophia were brought up in European Parliament

Turkey's provocations regarding Hagia Sophia were brought up in European Parliament

Latest News

Ecumenical Patriarchate: Blasphemy towards God is not a mark of progress

Ecumenical Patriarchate canonizes Fr. Dimitrios Gagastathis

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 18:16
0

On July 8–9, 2025, under the presidency of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical...

Denver Metropolis launches relief efforts after Texas floods

Denver Metropolis launches relief efforts after Texas floods

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 17:50
0

In response to the devastating floods that struck Kerr County, Texas, particularly along the Guadalupe River, Metropolitan Constantine of...

Visit of Sheikh Ayman Al-Nimr to the Patriarchate Antioch to offer condolences for the Martyrs of St. Elias Church

Visit of Sheikh Ayman Al-Nimr to the Patriarchate Antioch to offer condolences for the Martyrs of St. Elias Church

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 13:28
0

Bishop Romanos (Al-Hannat), Patriarchal Vicar, received Samahat Sheikh Ayman Al-Nimr, who came to offer condolences for the martyrs of...

Draft Law for the strengthening of orthodoxy and the legal recognition of the Sinai Monastery

Draft Law for the strengthening of orthodoxy and the legal recognition of the Sinai Monastery

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 12:06
0

The new Draft Law of the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports has been submitted for public...

Patriarch of Serbia held a working meeting with the President of Serbia

Patriarch of Serbia held a working meeting with the President of Serbia

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 09:28
0

Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia held a working meeting at the Holy Church of Saint Sava in Vračar with President...

Mount Athos: From generators and firewood to solar energy

Magnitude 3.6 earthquake in Mount Athos

by NewsRoom
Jul 09, 2025 | 09:03
0

Shortly before 11 p.m., a seismic tremor measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale occurred in the Mount Athos area...

Newsletter

Sign up for our weekly newsletter



Quick Links

  • Orthodoxy
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • History
  • Press Releases

Get Social

About Us

Advertise

Contact

Terms Of Use

© 2025 OrthodoxTimes.com
digital world media

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Greek Version

© 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT