Source: Greek City Times
by GCT
Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
The Great Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia, is a living monument to the glory of our Orthodox Christian Faith and a visible symbol of all that is best in the worship and liturgy of our Church,” said Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in the Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Mourning for Hagia Sophia.
He added, “Its seizure and second conversion to use as a mosque, on July 24, 2020, is a day of mourning for all Orthodox Christian People, as well as for all people of religious conviction.”
“Three years later, we continue to hope and work for a return to at least the status of the Great Church as a museum,” the Archbishop stressed.
Finally, he wished: “Let us pray that the House of Wisdom with Her canopy of light will one day be restored to a place that welcomes all people!”
Read the Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Mourning for Hagia Sophia:
My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Great Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia, is a living monument to the glory of our Orthodox Christian Faith and a visible symbol of all that is best in the worship and liturgy of our Church. Even after centuries of servicing an alien purpose, the magnificence of the edifice is unparalleled. Its seizure and second conversion to use as a mosque, on July 24, 2020 (ironically, the anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne), is a day of mourning for all Orthodox Christian People, as well as for all people of religious conviction. As is known, there was no need for Hagia Sophia to be taken over; there is an abundance of mosques in modern-day Istanbul. Rather, this was an act of political theater, using religion as a trope to manipulate the populace.
Three years later, we continue to hope and work for a return to at least the status of the Great Church as a museum, which would manifest the iconographic masterpieces and the original intention upon which Her builders raised the stones of Wisdom’s House. For like the stones who would cry out on Palm Sunday if the Disciples were silenced, (Luke 19:40), there are manifold voices of the ages enshrined in Hagia Sophia, who even now cry out for diversity in the Republic of Türkiye, the diversity that makes the country truly grand.
Let us pray that the House of Wisdom with Her canopy of light, or, as the historian Procopius says, “the golden dome suspended from Heaven,” will one day be restored to a place that welcomes all people. Anything less can be endured, but only by prayer and fasting. Until that happy day, let us build the House of Wisdom in our hearts, where, by love and forgiveness, we can always worship within the Great Church in our deepest souls.
With paternal love in Christ,
† ELPIDOPHOROS
Archbishop of America
5 Comments
Well, undoubtedly, Hagia Sophia should have remained a museum and not a mosque. Erdogan allowed the Muslim radicals to do this. He was wrong! However, Hagia Sophia was the great symbol of Christianity in the Byzantine Empire and that is long gone. For Muslims to do what they have done is to say to the Christian & Orthodox world … is not diplomatic at all. It would be a shame if some of the holiest Muslim sites collapsed. Remember, the Holy Spirit is “everywhere and fillest all things.” Our Orthodox faith is not confined to a building or buildings. Having huge edifices are of the past.
Nikolai,
Erdogan is a thug.. He destroyed Turkey’s economy, was in a close election, so he gave something to his constituents that they could celebrate. Turkey is an Islamist State. It hasn’t been a good place to be a Christian for centuries. This building hasn’t been a Church for centuries. First a Church.. then a mosque.. then a museum.. then a mosque again. Byzantium is long gone. Almost all of the Christians are gone. Turkey controls what happens and even has to approve the election of the Patriarch. What kind of institution would continue to agree to exist under such circumstances?
The Patriarchate should relocate from Istanbul.
Nobody even knows where “Antioch” is anymore, but there is still a Patriarchate of Antioch. Isn’t it somewhere in war torn Syria.. or in hiding in Lebanon?
The Patriarchate of Constantinople can be anywhere.. Mt. Athos.. the “New Lands” of Northern Greece.. maybe Crete. Why not East 79th Street in Manhattan? Isn’t NYC the Capital of the World?
Are issuing feel-good proclamations like these supposed to distract from the Archbishop marching with BLM, efforts to revise the Charter of the Archdiocese, flying to Greece for a controversial “gay” event.. and returning to a Greek Island by helicopter to perform a wedding for another wealthy couple?
What is it with these Hierarchs and wealthy families who see value in rubbing shoulders with each other? How do they imagine the dwindling numbers of devout “people in the pews” view these displays? They can have their destination events and go to the local church and priest.. save the planet from all the jet fuel being wasted on flying the American Archbishop back and forth to Greece.
Is hubris a Greek word?
The main reason +Bart won’t relocate is because he is afraid of losing the title of “First Among Equals,” second Rome. Moscow could then make a real claim to become “The Third Rome.” Any historical significance of Constantinople would be lost. In fact, the entire structure of the Roman/Byzantium is long gone. Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria & Jerusalem are shells of what they were. Moscow supporting terrorism has disqualified itself of any world leadership. We really are left with America and the Orthodox in America have yet to get their act together. In 1970, the “GREAT HOPE” was the OCA. All jurisdictions sitting on a council with an elected leader as a TOTALLY AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH. The big obstacles of why this didn’t happen were the Greeks & Antiochians. FOOLS! Here we are 53 years later and many Orthodox Americans are paying hierarchs overseas for their oversight & direction. WHY????????
Hi Nikolai,
I was listening to a speech Father Eusebius Stephanou gave at an Orthodox Christian Laity conference. Based on his criticism of the Bishop of Rome, I think he would strongly disagree with the title “First Without Equals.” Also, I’m sick and tired of everyone leeching off the US. Ethnophyletism is considered a heresy. I think parasitism should also be considered heretical. Of course, in order to become the Ecumenical Patriarch, one must be a Turkish citizen. They can’t attract the best and the brightest since there are very few Orthodox Christians living in Istanbul. The pool is too small!! Thank you!!
“First Rome”.. “Second Rome… “Third Rome”.. really? Moscow’s tenuous “we’ve got the numbers!” claim to primacy died when Kirill blessed the killing of Ukrainian Orthodox people in orphanages and nursing homes.
No one can find Antioch on a map, but still there is a Patriarchate of Antioch! Looking for Constantinople on a map today is even harder. There are probably more Orthodox Christians in Florida than in Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem combined. Arguing about which of these long lost centers of Christianity has “primacy” over the others reminds me of the Abbot & Costello comedy routine “Who’s on First?”
I’m not sure +Bart is as worried about the diptychs as the financial and political support victimhood bestows upon the Patriarchate of Constantinople. What would the Archons of the EP do if +Bart moved to Northern Greece, Crete or NYC?
To borrow from the +Bard:
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”