Should the Hagia Sophia be a Church again?

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I never hear much protest that the Hagia Sophia was in fact a Church and is now a Museum. I was reading the Wiki article and it seems that there are arguments on both sides to change it back to a specific Religious building.

What are your views on the building? Is it right that it’s a museum or should it be a Church? Do Muslims believe it should be a Mosque? What are some of the Islamic arguments and is there any debate?
 
dronald said:
I never hear much protest that the Hagia Sophia was in fact a Church and is now a Museum. I was reading the Wiki article and it seems that there are arguments on both sides to change it back to a specific Religious building.

What are your views on the building? Is it right that it’s a museum or should it be a Church? Do Muslims believe it should be a Mosque? What are some of the Islamic arguments and is there any debate?
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It should be turned into a Protestant church. Both the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics had it. We are the only branch of Christianity that hasn’t had it yet. It’s only fair.
 
I believe that the structure has some cracks in it that would make it unsafe for any large gathering of people, Christian or Muslim. This is also in an earthquake zone. Yes, I kinda think it should be returned to the Orthodox but in Islam, once an area is claimed for Islam, they would view any type of return like this apostasy so don’t hold your breath over any kind of return to the Orthodox. I think at least as a museum, the Christian past is acknowledged. If it became an active Mosque again, that would not happen. With the rise of radical Islam and ISIS claiming the return of the Caiphat, I am not surprised if there is an Islamic push to an active Mosque.
 
Given its Christian past, the world would be fortunate if ISIS didn’t destroy it completely should it come to power there, God forbid. Agree that keeping it a museum is the best way to ensure continuing Christian access at least.
 
With the latest trends in Turkey, i would say that its more likely to become a mosque again, the fact that it isn’t is only due to some amount of mild secularization in Turkey.
 
There is no question of the Turks returning it to Christians. The best that we can hope for is keeping it as a museum. The present issues in Turkey are allowing religious freedom for Christians, avoiding Islamist control of the Turkish government, and Turkish support for Islamist Terror groups.
 
It will not be a church again; the current grass-roots pressure is to reinstate it as a mosque.

If that happened, the Christian icons inside it would be painted over again, not to be seen for centuries.

I hope it remains a state museum.

ICXC NIKA.
 
Yes it should be. No question. I imagine most Orthodox Christians dream about liturgies in that building. It’s the Mother Church. No matter what the Turks call it is will always be the Mother Church. It is the Great Church of Christ. The Muslims can never change that.
 
I will say I love seeing the actual cathedra of the Pope in St John Lateran. It is so cool. But the Hagia Sophia, (please remember it’s not Saint Sophia, is’t the Church of Holy Wisdom) was the Mother Church of Christianity. Hopefully the day will come when the Ecumenical Patriarch will celebrate liturgy in the Church of Gregory and John Chrysostom and Photios.
 
GEddie said:
It will not be a church again; the current grass-roots pressure is to reinstate it as a mosque.

If that happened, the Christian icons inside it would be painted over again, not to be seen for centuries.

I hope it remains a state museum.

ICXC NIKA.
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Yes I agree. There have been protests for it to be returned to a mosque so it is in our best interest that it remain a museum to protect everything remaining from when it was orthodox.
 
As long as they keep the name as it is and it is remembered and protected as that. It was not called Holy Wisdom to support anything other than Christianity.

MJ
 
Ideally, it would be fantastic for it to return to a church, since that was its original design and purpose. But I’d much prefer it to remain a museum – and therefore neutral – than to have it reverted to a mosque or destroyed 😦
 
acarlson said:
Ideally, it would be fantastic for it to return to a church, since that was its original design and purpose. But I’d much prefer it to remain a museum – and therefore neutral – than to have it reverted to a mosque or destroyed 😦
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I think history will not be forgotten for what purpose it was built in the first place. No matter even if there was a call to turn it into a mosque.

MJ
 
GEddie said:
It will not be a church again; the current grass-roots pressure is to reinstate it as a mosque.

If that happened, the Christian icons inside it would be painted over again, not to be seen for centuries.

I hope it remains a state museum.

ICXC NIKA.
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When the icons were hidden, plaster was used and it had the fortunate effect of preserving the images underneath, so all that was needed was to remove the plaster and expose them again.
 
House_Harkonnen said:
It should be turned into a Protestant church. Both the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics had it. We are the only branch of Christianity that hasn’t had it yet. It’s only fair.
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To which of the thousands upon thousands of denominations should we let it be used by?
 
Elizium23 said:
When the icons were hidden, plaster was used and it had the fortunate effect of preserving the images underneath, so all that was needed was to remove the plaster and expose them again.
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They would probably make sure that didn’t happen this time.
 
Discerning13 said:
To which of the thousands upon thousands of denominations should we let it be used by?
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Why the one, true, holy, Christian, and apostolic church the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod of course. But we would probably be willing to share.
 
House_Harkonnen said:
Why the one, true, holy, Christian, and apostolic church the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod of course. But we would probably be willing to share.
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You are funny. 👍

You really got me at the one true holy and apostolic part! :clapping:
 
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