Brushing aside fears that holding religious ceremonies in churches would undermine Turkey’s Islamic character, the country’s top religious official has expressed openness about allowing such rites in Istanbul’s famous Hagia Sophia.
“Turkey will not become a Christian country by allowing three to five churches to hold religious ceremonies,” Ali Bardakoğlu, the head of the Religious Affairs Directorate, told journalists at a fast-breaking meal, or iftar, Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Bardakoğlu called for the reopening of the Saint Paul Church in Tarsus, a district of the southern province of Mersin, comments he reiterated at the iftar. “I find it more correct if the Saint Paul Church in Tarsus serves as a church than in its current role as a museum,” he said. “Christians have parallel demands.”
In response to a journalist’s question during the meal on whether the Hagia Sophia could be a center for religious ceremonies, Bardakoğlu said the issue is not on the directorate’s agenda yet, but that the body is taking a stand for freedom and every person’s right to worship in their own way.
“This is not a decision we can make. The Religious Affairs Directorate expresses its opinion when it is asked,” the top religious official said, adding that the body is supporting freedom not only for Christians in Turkey but also for Muslims in Western Thrace, Albania and Macedonia and Christians who live in other places.
The Hagia Sophia, originally a church, was transformed into a mosque after Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror laid siege to Istanbul in 1453 as part of the Ottomans’ attempt to convert the city to Islam. It was opened as a museum in 1935.
Cyprus was ignored
In his dinner with journalists, Bardakoğlu also said there has been large-scale neglect in northern Cyprus and that a mosque will be constructed in Nicosia and modern Quran courses will be offered under state control.
The top religious official also said the directorate is taking the side of socio-cultural developments and social movements, rather than opposing them. “We cannot ignore them, because our institution involves all people who live in this region,” he said.
