Agia Sophia and Chora icons are “Heavenly food for the soul and an inexhaustible joy for the eyes”—Pat. Bartholomew

Cyzicus, Turkey, August 24, 2020

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In his homily during the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the historic Panagia Faneromeni Monastery in Cyzicus, Turkey, on Sunday, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople spoke of the beauty of the Agia Sophia and Chora churches and of the pain inflicted by their reconversion into mosques by the Turkish state.

“It is a fact that the conversion of Agia Sophia and now the Monastery of Chora into mosques has hurt us,” the Patriarch stressed, reports Romfea.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordered the conversion of the famous Chora church on Friday, though the move had been approved by the highest court in the land already in November. This follows on the conversion of the Agia Sophia Cathedral into a mosque last month, which sent shockwaves throughout the entire world.

“These two unique monuments of the city were built as Christian churches. They express the universal spirit of our faith, love, and the hope of eternity. The incomparable mosaics and their other icons are Heavenly food for the soul and an inexhaustible joy for the eyes, as Photios Kontoglou from Ayvalik would say, and they belong to the world cultural heritage,” the Patriarch continued.

In conclusion, the Constantinopolitan primate emphasized: “We ask the God of love, justice, and peace to enlighten the minds and hearts of those responsible.”

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8/24/2020

See also
Czech-Slovak Church: Situation with Agia Sophia fills Orthodox faithful with grief Czech-Slovak Church: Situation with Agia Sophia fills Orthodox faithful with grief Czech-Slovak Church: Situation with Agia Sophia fills Orthodox faithful with grief Czech-Slovak Church: Situation with Agia Sophia fills Orthodox faithful with grief
The Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia issued a statement on Monday regarding Turkey’s lamentable decision to convert the Agia Sophia Cathedral into a mosque again, noting that the news has filled the Orthodox faithful of the Czech Republic and Slovakia with grief. Bulgarian Holy Synod weighs in on Agia Sophia Bulgarian Holy Synod weighs in on Agia Sophia Bulgarian Holy Synod weighs in on Agia Sophia Bulgarian Holy Synod weighs in on Agia Sophia
The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church issued a statement on the recent lamentable events surrounding the Agia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul, joining its voice “in the calls of our sister Local Orthodox Churches.” Churches of Jerusalem, Romania, Georgia weigh in on Agia Sophia affair Churches of Jerusalem, Romania, Georgia weigh in on Agia Sophia affair Churches of Jerusalem, Romania, Georgia weigh in on Agia Sophia affair Churches of Jerusalem, Romania, Georgia weigh in on Agia Sophia affair
Following statements from Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill and the Church of Greece, the Patriarchs of the Churches of Jerusalem and Romania and the Patriarchate of Georgia have also raised their voices concerning Turkish officials’ plans to convert the iconic Agia Sophia into a mosque.
Comments
Eddie9/11/2020 11:21 am
Isn't odd that he cannot see God is removing His Divine Protection from Bartholomew? What always happened to the Greeks when they betrayed Orthodoxy and craved Unia with Rome? God made the Turks come punish them. Here it is happening again. And where is the Trump Administration and Israel that he serves so well? Why don't they help? Russia won't. He burned those bridges.
Peter 8/25/2020 12:12 am
Perhaps Divine Retribution for the wrongdoings of the Patriarchate of Constantinople?
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