Turkish Court Hears Case Aiming To Turn The Hagia Sophia Back Into A Mosque

TOPLINE

 A case heard in Turkey’s highest court Thursday could determine the future of the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul, allowing it to be turned back into a mosque, a proposal that has proved controversial internationally.

KEY FACTS

KEY BACKGROUND

The Hagia Sophia is Turkey’s most popular tourist attraction, bringing in upwards of 3.7 million guests in 2019. The idea of making it a mosque is largely unpopular outside of Turkey, with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging Ankara on Wednesday to keep the Hagia Sophia as a museum to signify a “commitment to respect the faith traditions and diverse history that contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and to ensure it remains accessible to all.” The move has also brought up long-held tensions with Greece as the neighbors are in dispute over the countries’ maritime borders. Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said Thursday that reinstating it as a mosque “would create a huge emotional chasm between the Christians of the world and Turkey.” It echoed a previous statement from Patriarch Bartholomew I, Eastern Orthodox Church head and spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, who warned that the move “will turn millions of Christians across the world against Islam.” The Hagia Sophia is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the United Nations previously told Turkey that it would have to approve any change of status.