Please sign--Petition For Agia Sophia

pjhatala · Post by **pjhatala** » Thu 20 October 2005 2:54 am

Kollyvas wrote:
better a church than a mosque...
R

I was there a few months ago. It's not a mosque...it's a museum... with a required admission price and tour guides if you so desire.
Just who would attend services at a restored Hagia Sofya in the midsts of Muslim Istanbul?

Kollyvas · Post by **Kollyvas** » Thu 20 October 2005 4:27 am

Um, 300 million Orthodox Christians...
R

Chrysostomos · Post by **Chrysostomos** » Thu 20 October 2005 9:19 am

Just who would attend services at a restored Hagia Sofya in the midsts of Muslim Istanbul?

I think that if this was done, that many "Eastern Orthodox" Christians would visit Turkey and come see "Constantinople" and worship in the Hagia Sophia.

I sincerely believe that Turkey would see a definite increase in the amount of tourism by "Eastern Orthodox" by doing so.

Your fellow struggler in Christ,

Rd. Chrysostomos

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Thu 20 October 2005 9:56 am

This is a foolish unrealistic dream.

We lost Hagia Sophia due to our sins, I don't see that we have improved any since then. The sins are the same and even worse.

There are too many other things and people in need in other parts of the world for us to throw away our money to pursue this unrealistic dream.

Besides it'll never happen, Turkey has too musch too lose politically with it's own people to ever consider this "demand". Why should it allow Christians, what it denies it's own Muslims?

Katya

Chrysostomos · Post by **Chrysostomos** » Thu 20 October 2005 10:23 am

We lost Hagia Sophia due to our sins, I don't see that we have improved any since then. The sins are the same and even worse.

I disagree. Constantinople fell due to our sins - yes. Not the Hagia Sophia.

The Hagia Sophia is a Temple of God. It was not the capital of Constantinople. It does not stop being a church due to the failure of the presiding government.

There are too many other things and people in need in other parts of the world for us to throw away our money to pursue this unrealistic dream.

I don't understand how signing a petition is "throwing away our money". If you mean, that if the Turks decided to allow the Hagia Sophia to come back into the hands of the "Eastern Orthodox" and money would have to be spent to restore it - I disagree, but can understand your point. The cost of restoration would be enormous, but I would imagine that money would come out of many places to have it restored to its original beauty.

This is a foolish unrealistic dream.

Then count me a "fool" for desiring to see God's Temple restored in all it's magnificience. That it be re-established as a place of worship for all Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Your fellow struggler in Christ,

Rd. Chrysostomos