Hagia Sophia – The Proselytism of a Building

The name of a famous building located in Istanbul, Turkey, is Hagia Sophia. We have all heard of proselytism, where humans convert religions. But can buildings also undergo religious conversion? It sounds strange to hear, but it’s a true event with Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is derived from two Greek words. “Hagia” is called “Ayas” in Turkish, which means holy, and “Sophia” means wisdom.

To learn about Hagia Sophia, we need to delve into the pages of history related to the Roman Empire, beginning in the 4th century. During those days, the Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Constantine the First (Constantine-I, Ruled Year 306 AD to 337 AD). Constantine the First was among the first Roman rulers to embrace Christianity. Before this, various gods were worshiped in the Roman Empire, with Jupiter, Juno, Mars, and others being prominent. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine the First established his new capital in the city of Byzantium in the year 330 AD, renaming it Constantinople.

Emperor Constantine the Second (Constantine-II) commissioned the construction of a wooden church in the middle of the city of Constantinople in the year 360 AD. In 404 AD, this church was destroyed in a conflict. Eleven years later, Emperor Theodosius the Second (Theodosius-II) built a new church on the same site. Approximately 100 years later, that church was also destroyed by fire. At that time, the Roman Empire was under the rule of Emperor Justinian.

Emperor Justinian then commissioned the construction of a magnificent church on the same site. From around 532 AD to 537 AD, over about five years, it was built. This church, adorned with a colossal dome, was extraordinarily beautiful, furnished with materials sourced from all over the world. Made from gold, silver, and marble, among other precious materials, this church became renowned worldwide. It was considered a major center of Christianity. This church is known as Hagia Sophia.

As it is said, good times don’t last forever. Such was the fate of Hagia Sophia. History took a turn. Approximately 916 years after its construction, in the year 1453 AD, Constantinople was conquered by a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire named Mehmed-II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror. Sultan Mehmed-II captured the city and renamed Constantinople to Istanbul, declaring it the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

With this change in power, Hagia Sophia also faced transformation. Sultan Mehmed-II converted Hagia Sophia from a church to a mosque. Significant alterations were made, such as the addition of colossal minarets at all four corners of Hagia Sophia. This conversion was perceived as a humiliation by Christians worldwide, and it was decided that in the future, Hagia Sophia would be restored to its original state as a church.

The wheel of time kept turning, and now the year 1914 arrived when the First World War began. By this time, the Ottoman Empire had become quite weak. During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire allied with Germany and fought against Russia, Britain, and France. The First World War ended in 1918. After the defeat of Germany and its allies, the Ottoman Empire collapsed. In 1922, the position of the Sultan was abolished forever, and in 1923, a new country, the Republic of Turkey, was established. Mustafa Kamalpasha Ataturk became the first president of Turkey.

Mustafa Kamalpasha Ataturk was a revolutionary, progressive, and secular leader. He ruled Turkey from 1923 to 1938 CE. He transformed Turkey into a secular state. During his tenure, Mustafa Kamalpasha changed the religious status of Hagia Sophia, which had been converted into a mosque, and turned it into a museum. Ataturk’s decision was welcomed worldwide and was seen as a step towards promoting communal harmony. This museum became an emblem of secular Turkey. However, there was growing resentment among certain sections of Turkey’s Muslim society regarding this decision.

The wheel of time kept turning, and it was the year 2002 when an Islamic conservative party named the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in Turkey. Recep Tayyip Erdogan was its leader. From 2002 to 2014, Erdogan served as the Prime Minister of Turkey. Later, he became the President of Turkey and increased the powers of the presidency by amending the constitution.

A key aspect of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ideology was the consideration of converting Hagia Sophia back into a mosque from a museum. His party advocated for this from time to time. However, Erdogan’s image was initially that of a liberal and progressive leader during his early tenure. But gradually, resentment towards Erdogan’s rule began to grow among the people of Turkey. Erdogan himself was becoming aware of this sentiment. To maintain his grip on power, Erdogan decided to lean back towards his original ideology. He made a decision regarding Hagia Sophia that could potentially regain popularity among the public.

In the year 2020, President Erdogan converted Hagia Sophia Museum back into a mosque on the occasion of the completion of 567 years since the Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Constantinople. He granted permission for prayers to be held there. Erdogan’s decision faced strong opposition from Western countries, Russia, the United States, and the Christian community, including the Orthodox Church. Erdogan, however, viewed this opposition as an opportunity to strengthen his domestic political position and enhance his image in the Muslim world. Currently, prayers are held in Hagia Sophia similar to other mosques.