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Ashburn
The commander of the militia of the Syrian Christian town of Scalby Nabil Abdullah announced the intention to build in his hometown chapel with a symbolic name Hagia Sophia.
"It's symbolic of a small Church not more than four metres in height and four in width. This small chapel is designed to show the real face of Syria, where two different civilizations and culture. Especially in this town (Salbei) who received more than 4 thousand refugees who fled from terror," - told RIA Novosti Abdallah.
The position of the Russian Orthodox Church over the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is not political and ideological, it is not a continuation of Russian policy, said Monday the Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate on relations of the Church with society and the media Vakhtang Kipshidze.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. In UNESCO, the number of States of the world and in the Russian Orthodox Church, unfortunately, reacted to this decision.
Local churches must speak with one voice on the issue of changing the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, which turned from a Museum into a mosque, said the employee of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, deacon Feodor Shulga at the press conference of the project "Religion and ideology" in MIA "Russia today".
Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) was founded by the Christian Emperor Justinian and inaugurated in 537 year. The Cathedral is about a thousand years was the largest Christian Church in the world. After the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans and the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, the Cathedral was converted into a mosque but since 1934 the building by decree of the founder of the modern Turkish state Kemal Ataturk became a Museum and was included in the world heritage list of UNESCO. In mid-July, the state Council of Turkey annulled the decision of 1934, the mosque started again services. In UNESCO, the number of States of the world and in the Russian Orthodox and many Orthodox churches around the world with regret about this decision. Russian authorities announced the decision at the Hagia Sophia a domestic affair of Turkey.
The official representative the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Turkey Hami Aksoy condemned the reaction of the Greek authorities on the first namaz in a mosque of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the rally in Thessaloniki, which participants burned a Turkish flag.
Earlier, Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is not a manifestation of strength and proof of the weakness of Turkey. According to him, Turkey violates the peace, "challenging the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus and insulting the culture of the XXI century through such actions."
Opinions polled by RIA Novosti of Turkish citizens on their attitude to change the status of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul and complete it on Friday, the first since 1934, the prayer is divided. Some of them will see this event return to the traditions of the Ottoman Empire in the days of her power, the other - another attack on secular principles established by the founder of the Turkish Republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
In the first after a long break prayer in the Aya Sofia was attended by President Recep Tayyip erdoğan, who said Sura of the Koran al-Fatiha before the service. All, according to him, the prayer was attended by about 350 thousand Muslims.
Montenegrin police filed a criminal case against the priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in Podgorica for the violation of measures against coronavirus after a Liturgy in connection with the conversion of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul from a Museum into a mosque, said the interior Ministry.
In Serbia and Montenegro, which, with varying success fought the Ottoman rule in the Balkans from the XIV to the XX century, the news about the change of status and the first since 1934 the Friday prayer in the Hagia Sophia caused a resonance. Patriarch Irinej of Serbia on July 13 called on the Turkish authorities to leave the object as a Museum with the possibility of both Christian and Islamic religious services.
Christian mosaics of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, where Friday was the first in 86 years prayer, closed by curtains at the end, the correspondent of RIA Novosti.
In prayer was attended by the President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, who uttered the first Sura of the Koran - "al-Fatiha" - before the service. It was broadcast on large screens installed at several sites to pray in front of Ayia Sofia. According to the Turkish leader, in prayer was attended by about 350 thousand Muslims.
First since 1934 Friday prayers ended in converted into a mosque Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the correspondent of RIA Novosti.
In prayer was attended by the President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, who uttered the first Sura of the Koran, "al-Fatiha" before the service. It was broadcast on large screens installed in the square. The believers gathered there welcomed a Turkish leader with cries of "Allah Akbar".
Russian Orthodox Church considers hasty and politically motivated decision on the transformation of Hagia Sophia from Museum to mosque, said Friday, RIA Novosti source in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. Friday at Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was the first after 1934 Friday prayer.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived at the Aya Sofia in Istanbul, which will be the first since 1934 Friday prayer, the correspondent of RIA Novosti.
Earlier, the Governor of Istanbul Ali Yerlikaya announced that access to the area Hagia Sophia is completely closed due to large crowds.
First after 86-year hiatus Muslim service will be held Friday at the Cathedral of St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul, converted into a mosque, the namaz, are expected to attend Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court – July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after that, Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The head of the Department of religious Affairs of Turkey Ali Erbas announced the appointment of three of the five imams and muezzins in the mosque converted into the Cathedral of St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul, where Friday will be the first in 86 years of service.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the situation with the Holy Sophia, stressed the cultural and spiritual importance of this unique facility, the press service of the Kremlin.
"Discussed the situation in connection with the change of status of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It was emphasized exceptional cultural, historical and spiritual significance of this unique world heritage site", - stated in the message.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared in his Twitter a video for the song about the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, converted from a Museum into a mosque, the composition is performed in nine languages.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court – July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. In UNESCO, the number of States of the world and in the Russian Orthodox Church, unfortunately, reacted to this decision.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visited the Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul, where he got acquainted with the preparatory work for the first divine service after its conversion into a mosque, and shared on Twitter photos.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after that, Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church regrets the deprivation of Hagia Sophia's Museum status and hopes for the efforts of the Turkish authorities on the preservation of the Christian mosaics in this Church, is told in the statement of the Synod, published on the website of the ROC on Friday.
Session of the Holy Synod was held on 16 and 17 July under the chairmanship of Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill.
The Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church associates the transformation of Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) into a mosque and the disunity of the Orthodox world with anticanonically the legalization of a split in Ukraine by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, says the statement of the Synod, published on the website of the ROC on Friday.
Session of the Holy Synod was held on 16 and 17 July under the chairmanship of Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill.
The Ministry of culture and tourism of Turkey and the office for religious Affairs of the country (Diyanet) signed the Protocol on which the Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul will be protected as a world heritage site after the change of its status, said the head of culture and tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after this, the President said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should consider the transfer of a number of religious objects on the territory of Russia, said the head of the Duma Committee on civil society development issues, public and religious organisations Sergey Gavrilov in an interview with "Parlamentskaya Gazeta".
The MP stressed that these objects are not only the temples and monastery, pilgrimage centers and hotels, which were built in Russian and belonged to pre-revolutionary Russia. According to him, speech can go about a minimum of seven churches belonging to the Orthodox Church, and the situation is ripe for this question decided now.
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople "symbolically lost chair" with the transformation of the Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque, said Tuesday RIA Novosti the head of the expert Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on Church art, architecture and restoration Archpriest Leonid Kalinin.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court – July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. In UNESCO, the number of States of the world and in the Russian Orthodox Church, unfortunately, reacted to this decision.
The Turkish authorities corrected admitted in 1934, a historical mistake by changing the status of Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) Museum to a mosque, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after that, Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
The Turkish authorities have decided to resort to to change the status of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul to rally the masses against the backdrop of economic problems of the country, believes head of the Department of Oriental languages of the Diplomatic Academy of the MFA of Russia Aslambek Maslaev.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
The head of the Department of culture and antiquities of Bahrain and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab regional centre for world heritage of the Sheikh may al Khalifa, expressed regret that instead of the unifying role of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul against the decision of the Turkish authorities to turn it into a mosque has become a subject of conflict and division.
The Supreme administrative court of Turkey on 10 July annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
Change the status of Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul, its conversion into a mosque is a positive transformation for the Jews, Muslims and Christians, as there now will be the common for all Abrahamic religions God, said the first Deputy head of the Spiritual administration of Muslims (DUM) of Russia Damir Mukhetdinov.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after this, the Turkish President announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
The conversion of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque makes it out of the place of culture in "the place of separation and division", it is necessary to protect this monument of culture, declared the Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church on Monday.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
In Berlin regret the decision to withdraw the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, said at a briefing the official representative of the government of Germany Steffen Seibert.
"The Federal government, as it is said in the weekend and in the German foreign office, I regret to have taken note of Turkey's decision, taken on Friday. The Hagia Sophia is of great cultural and historical significance, and it has a great religious significance for Christianity and for Islam," said Seibert.
Turkey will continue to preserve Hagia Sophia in Istanbul as a world heritage site by UNESCO after its conversion into a mosque, said on Monday Turkish foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Jerome expressed to the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew the support of the Greek Orthodox Church, reported the Athens Archdiocese.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
The President of the chamber of Commerce of Piraeus, Vasilis the owner Korkidis called on Greek businessmen to impose an embargo on trade with Turkey, and consumers to boycott Turkish goods in connection with the conversion of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed with the head of the Greek Orthodox Church Archbishop Ieronim response to the transformation of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque, the press service of the Prime Minister.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. They will begin on July 24.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan uses religion as a tool to achieve geopolitical aims of the party and offends all civilized humanity, said the head of the Greek Orthodox Church Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Hieronymus. His brief statement in connection with the decision of Erdogan to make the Hagia Sophia a mosque circulated to the Athens news Agency AMNA.
"Turning religion into an instrument to achieve political, geopolitical and geostrategic benefits characterizes the one who is doing it. Provocation and insult are not only about the Orthodoxy and Christianity in General, but of the whole civilized world, every thinking person, regardless of religion. Stubbornly asking for trouble," said Jerome.
Turkish authorities are considering the question of holding of Muslim prayers in Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul, it is assumed, in particular, the use of special lighting technique in which the Christian mosaics and frescoes are not visible during the prayers, according to the newspaper Hurriyet.
Earlier it was reported that the state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The Minister of foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Dendias said that "dangerous" to consider the transformation of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque problem, Greek-Turkish relations, not the world. In an interview with Skai Dendias also said that the EU should have a ready list of "strong" measures against Turkey in case of its violation of the sovereign rights of Greece.
On Monday, the issue of Turkey will be discussed in Brussels at the Council of foreign Ministers of the European Union. "There Greece will ask the European Union to compile a list of the strongest possible measures against Turkey if Turkey violates the sovereign rights of Greece," said Dendias.
Change the status of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul is a step towards the great Turkey, with the opinion of other countries does not matter, said Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Earlier it was reported that the state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after that, Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The decision of the Turkish authorities on the conversion of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul from a Museum into a mosque was a blow to the world Orthodoxy, head of the Department for external Church relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.
"It's a blow to the entire world to Orthodoxy, because for all Orthodox Christians throughout the world, the Hagia Sophia is such a symbol, like the Catholic St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, so it is with great regret that decision," said Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) in the broadcast channel "Russia 1".
The return of Hagia Sophia mosque status in Turkey may lead to a religious schism and to create a dangerous precedent for other religious groups, said in a letter to the acting Director General of the world Council of churches John Sauka Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In the letter, released Saturday by the press service of the world Council of churches, Sauka expresses "grief and confusion VSS and 350 churches from 110 countries, members of the Council" regarding the step taken by the Turkish authorities in respect of Hagia Sophia.
Ukrainian party "the Opposition platform For life" requires the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to oppose changes in the status of the Hagia Sophia in Turkey.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday signed a decree on awarding the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to the status of the mosque. Before that, the state Council of Turkey annulled the decision of 1934 about the Museum the status of a Cathedral.
The decision of the Turkish authorities on the transformation of the Museum of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is unlikely to be revised soon, said Saturday the head of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate on relations of the Church with society and mass-media Vladimir Legoyda.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court – July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree on the transfer of the Cathedral to a mosque and early in this Muslim worship. In the Russian Orthodox Church has accepted with regret the decision.
Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis called from Corfu, where he is on the trip, the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew and expressed its "solidarity and support", reported the press service of the Prime Minister.
The Mitsotakis called Bartholomew on the following day after the decision of Turkey to make the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul the mosque.
"Communists of Russia" believe that the Russians should refrain from traveling to Turkey after the authorities of the country to make the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul a working mosque, the press service of the party.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The decision to make the mosque of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul caused a sharp reaction of Greek politicians, regardless of their political beliefs and religious views.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court - July 10, annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The President of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiadis said that the decision to make the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul the mosque is a desecration of the world heritage site.
"The decision of the Council of State of Turkey to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque is another problem for the civilized world and represents it in international organizations. It is a historical deviation, and the desecration of world heritage, with special emotional value for all Christians on earth" - wrote Anastasiadis on his page in Facebook.
Greece after the decision of Turkey to turn Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque must immediately to impose sanctions against Ankara to close the Turkish Consulate in Komotini, the Museum of Kemal Ataturk in Thessaloniki, the border with Turkey, to open a mosque in Votanikos and close hundreds of illegal mosques, said RIA Novosti former MEP and President of the party "Greece – another way" NOTIS Marias.
He is Professor at the University of Crete, where he teaches the institutional setting of the European Union.
France deplores Turkey's decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the head of the French foreign Ministry Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
In the Muslim community of Russia expressed confidence that after the conversion of the Church-Museum of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque any obstacles to its all visitors will not arise.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday signed a decree on awarding the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to the status of the mosque. Before that, the state Council of Turkey annulled the decision of 1934 about the Museum the status of a Cathedral.
The United States is disappointed by the decision of the Turkish authorities to transform the Istanbul Hagia Sophia into a mosque, and waiting to hear from Ankara information about how the historical site will remain available to all visitors, said state Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The first Muslim worship in the Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) is scheduled to begin July 24, the entrance to the mosque is free for all, stated on Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Earlier on Friday, Erdogan signed a decree about the transformation of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. This became possible after Turkey's Council of state annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum.
The call of the Imam to prayer for Muslims on Friday for the first time since 1934, came from of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
The video, which heard the adhan - Muslims call to prayer, obligatory prayers coming from the former Church of Hagia Sophia, published in Turkish blogs to YouTube.
About six months will be required for preparatory work in the Cathedral of St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) to transform it into a mosque, stated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On Friday, Erdogan signed a decree about the transformation of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there. This became possible after Turkey's Council of state annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum.
The decision of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to make the Hagia Sophia a mosque is dictated by the desire to score political points and win the favour of the electorate, said RIA Novosti Deputy of the Turkish Parliament Ozturk Yilmaz.
The state Council, Turkey's highest administrative court on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after the court verdict, Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azul deeply regrets Turkey's decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, which was accepted "without dialogue."
"UNESCO Director-General deeply regrets the decision of the Turkish authorities adopted without prior dialogue to change the status of Hagia Sophia", - said in a communique of the organization.
The right of Turkey to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque is no doubt, however, Ankara is obliged to ensure its preservation as a cultural heritage of world importance, said RIA Novosti Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on constitutional legislation Andrey Klishas.
The state Council of Turkey on Friday canceled a decision dated 1934, about the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has decided to turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque, to raise the popularity of the Turkish leader behaves like the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, said to RIA Novosti, the Greek expert, columnist, the former head of the Athens news Agency AMNA Michalis Psilos.
"Erdogan, fully identifying himself with the Ottoman sultans turned Hagia Sophia into a mosque and has strengthened its declining popularity in the case of an election, which can be arranged in the near future," said Psilos.
Cyprus condemns Turkey's actions to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque and urged Ankara to respect international obligations, said the Minister of foreign Affairs of Cyprus Nikos Hristodulidis.
According to him, growing a flagrant violation of Turkey's international obligations is evident in its decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia, a world heritage site, symbol of the Orthodox faith.
The Communist party of Greece (KKE) said the decision of Turkey to make the Hagia Sophia a mosque is provocative and offensive.
The state Council of Turkey annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum. Immediately after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Cathedral into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
The transformation of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque looks like deliberate worsening of relations both in Turkey and in the world, said in an interview with RIA Novosti head of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.
The question of how the decision of the state Council and Turkey signed on Friday the decree of President Tayyip Erdogan about the cancellation of the Museum status of Hagia Sophia and opening it for worship of Muslims will affect Russian-Turkish relations, pilgrimage and tourism, he said, "Certainly, will complicate them."
The Minister of foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Dendias has called provocative the decision of Turkey to make the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, and said that informed the colleagues.
"I have informed my colleagues about the provocation, which has become the world's cultural heritage, as well as to UNESCO, the decision to annul the decree of Kemal atatürk, 1934 on the protection of the Hagia Sophia by its conversion into a Museum," Dendias wrote in his Twitter.
Change the status of Hagia Sophia is beneficial personally to the President of Turkey Tayyip Erdogan, who in the face of slowing growth in the national economy tends to raise your rating in the eyes of the population, in particular among moderate Islamists, told RIA Novosti senior research fellow name of Yevgeny Primakov Russian Academy of Sciences Viktor Nadein-Raevsky.
On Friday, Turkey's state Council (Supreme administrative court) annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia) Museum.
The decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is a mistake, but Russia has no mechanisms to discourage him, said to RIA Novosti, first Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on international Affairs Vladimir Jabbarov.
"The fact that this decision is incorrect, we have not spoken to the Turkish authorities appealed and the Russian Orthodox Church and the Duma, and leading politicians. But Russia can not do anything to change my mind, Hagia Sophia is located on the territory of Turkey," he said.
The decision of Ankara to Hagia Sophia are aimed at increasing the popularity of their citizens, for relations with Russia, it is not affected, said the RIA Novosti member of the international Committee of the Federation Council Alexei Kondratiev.
A Turkish court decided to change the status of Hagia Sophia, it will be a mosque.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had signed a decree about the transformation of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque and the beginning of Muslim worship there.
Earlier on Friday it became known that the state Council of Turkey annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a Museum.
The head of the Duma Committee on international Affairs Leonid Slutsky has expressed a regret in connection with cancellation by the state Council of Turkey decision of 1934 the transformation of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a Museum.
"The issue of changing the status of the Church-Museum of Hagia Sophia only formally it may seem that is an internal matter of Turkey, in fact it is not so. The Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO world heritage site, has the status of a Museum that entails a number of legal obligations on the part of the Turkish authorities on preservation of the universal value of this monument," - said Slutsky RIA Novosti.
The decision about the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a mosque regrettable if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will support him, it will negatively affect the international image of the country, said RIA Novosti Chairman of the Commission of the Public chamber of the Russian Federation on harmonization of interethnic and interreligious relations Vladimir Zorin.
The Turkish state Council (Supreme administrative court) annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofia) in Istanbul to a Museum, reported CNN Turk. The Anadolu news Agency, citing a conclusion of the state Council reported that the Cathedral was a mosque.
Change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will be painfully perceived by the Orthodox world, but also not the best way affect the socio-political life of Turkey, said RIA Novosti, first Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on international Affairs Dmitry Novikov.
The Turkish state Council (Supreme administrative court) on Friday annulled the decision of 1934 the transformation of Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) Museum.