Source: Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Hagia Sophia & Religious Freedom: A Panel Discussion On this Day of Mourning over the decision by the Turkish Government to convert the Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, let us remember and remain resolved. Please find time to watch a panel discussion organized by the Metropolis of Chicago that ranges from the history of the Hagia Sophia, religious freedom in Turkey and what you can do to make a difference. PANELISTS INCLUDE Dr. Aykan Erdemir Former member of the Turkish parliament and senior director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation…
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Source: Orthodox Christianity Washington, D.C. Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople met with President Trump and Vice President Pence at the White House yesterday, July 23, chiefly discussing Turkey’s sad conversion of the Agia Sophia cathedral into a mosque again. The first Islamic prayers are being read in the UNESCO World Heritage site today, while Orthodox Christians are praying akathists to the Mother of God and churches are mournfully ringing their bells. The Greek Archdiocese reports: Today, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros met with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House…
Source: The New York Times Changing the secular space back into a religious one is a risk for the World Heritage Site. By The Editorial Board The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. On Friday, after 86 years as a museum, the great Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will once again echo with Muslim prayers. To Turkish Islamists, the conversion marks the fulfillment of a long-held dream of restoring a symbol of Ottoman grandeur. For many others around the world, the change is a…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA (July 10, 2020) As was expected, there was the very sad news today that Hagia Sophia will be a mosque again. https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hagia-sophia-converted-into-mosque-as-erdogan-signs-decree-156455 Late this afternoon, the Council of State, Turkey’s highest administrative court, issued its decision. Minutes after the announcement of the decision, Turkey’s President Erdoğan signed a decree making Hagia Sophia a mosque. The Hurriyet, Turkey’s largest newspaper, reported in the foregoing link the following: The court based its verdict on the fact that the Hagia Sophia was a property of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han Foundation and registered to be used only as a…
Source: Hellenic American Leadership Council The latest virtual event in our series on “The Real History of Constantinople” features Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou for a discussion on cultural heritage and political propaganda in today’s Turkey.
Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists Elena Konstantinova Patriarch Bartholomew did not allow Metropolitan Kipriyan to serve in the church of Sts Constantine and Helena in Adrianople. Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople did not allow Metropolitan Kipriyan of Stara Zagora of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to perform the Divine Liturgy in the church of Saints Constantine and Helena of the Bulgarian community in the city of Adrianople in Turkey, the Greek site Romfea reports. The publication notes that the Bulgarian community of the city of Adrianople is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, thus permission and blessing of the Ecumenical Patriarchate must be…
Source: Byzantine, TX (president.gov.ua) – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the Fener in Istanbul. The Ecumenical Patriarch reiterated support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch for supporting Ukraine. “Our common value is human life. This is the main thing for me, especially now, when I became President of Ukraine. The authorities shouldn’t interfere in church affairs. I will defend the independence of the church,” the Head of State emphasized. The agenda of the President’s visit to Turkey also includes St. George’s Cathedral located on the…
Source: Hurriyet Daily News İpek Yezdani – NEW YORK The Greek Orthodox church of the United States, a far-flung denomination of 1.5 million members, has installed its first new leader in 20 years, and he is from Istanbul. Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, 51, a native of Istanbul, was enthroned as archbishop in an elaborate ceremony at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan on June 22. The event was attended about 1,000 people, including officials from Turkey, Greece, GreekCyprus and the United States. Among the attendees was Turkey’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Other attendees were the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, GreekForeign Minister…
Source: Hurriyet Daily News İpek Yezdani – ISTANBUL For the first time in history, a Turkish citizen has been chosen as the archbishop of the U.S. to lead the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Elpidophoros Lambriniadis, who was born and raised in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul, is chosen to lead all the Orthodox and Greek congregation in the U.S. A native of Istanbul, Lambriniadis had been serving as the principle of the closed Halki Seminary on Heybeliada, an island off Istanbul’s coast, and teaching as a professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. Lambriniadis said he was chosen by the council called “Holy Council’ (Synod) of the Greek Orthodox Church, which consisted of 12 members and…
Source: Veterans Today By VT Editors Submitted to Veterans Today by Sophia Ilaidi Originally published on August 8, 2018 As Greek journalists found out, the Metropolitan of Bursa Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) has close ties with Turkish intelligence. According to the information obtained by my counterparts from their sources, Ankara’s main goal is to weaken the Church of Greece and expand the influence of Constantinople. And one of the main roles in this process belongs to the Metropolitan of Bursa. The career of the hierarch is developing very rapidly. Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) was born in 1967 in Istanbul. After graduation from the Aristotle…
Source: Christian Today A US pastor has been barred from re-entering Turkey in a further sign of the country’s antagonism towards foreign Christians. Mike Platt, a volunteer pastor at Kadikoy International Church in Istanbul, was barred from re-entry on Wednesday after travelling outside the country. Middle East Concern (MEC) reports that he was warned by the border authorities when he left the country on April 2 that there was an entry ban against him and that he would be refused re-entry. This ban was enforced when he tried to re-enter this week. He was subsequently held at the airport and…
Source: The National Herald By TNH Staff The announcement issued yesterday by the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding America and Australia contains three interesting points: First, they accepted the resignation of Archbishop Demetrios, but it will “become effective Saturday, when a new Archbishop will be elected.” What does that mean? Second, it also states: “The Synod also expressed its gratitude for his many years of ministry.” But if that is so, holy hierarchs, why did you not let him remain in office? And, third, regarding the election of a new Archbishop of Australia, I also read in the communiqué: “Having heard the…