Pope makes Turkish mosque visit ( and nearby Hagia Sophia Museum ) ( former Christian Church ? )

BBC ^ | 30 November 2006 | BBC

[george76]

Pope Benedict XVI has visited one of Turkey's most famous mosques in what is being seen as an attempt to mend relations with the Muslim community.

During his tour of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the pontiff paused in silent prayer alongside senior Muslim clerics.

It marks only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship.

Earlier, the Pope visited the nearby Hagia Sophia Museum - a site heavy with Christian and Muslim symbolism - drawing around 150 protesters.

The Pope spent half an hour in Hagia Sophia, a domed complex that was once a Christian centre before becoming a mosque and eventually, a museum.

The BBC's David Willey says the Pope has been performing a delicate balancing act between creating better relations with the Orthodox Church, while also reaching out to Muslims.

The pontiff began Wednesday with a liturgical celebration by the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

A prime reason for Pope Benedict's visit to Turkey has been to heal the centuries-old rift between the two Churches.

Patriarch Bartholomew and the Pope embraced during the service.

"The divisions which exist among Christians are a scandal to the world," the Pope said after the meeting.

[george76]

Hagia Sophia...a former Christian Church .

.

[george76]

" Hagia Sophia: built in 6th century as a church
converted to a mosque in 1453, a museum since 1935..."

[badpacifist]

Wonder how many e-mails I will get from my ultra-traditionalist friends on this one. Somebody better lock Mel Gibsons liquor cabinet also.

[Al Simmons]

Hagia Sophia - Perhaps THE GREATEST Christian Church ever built.....

[george76]

I like your : "A Father who keeps His promises."

.

[svxdave]

I'd rather it be a museun than a mosque.

[george76]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

A Christian "centre" -- damn BEEB is so far gone it can't even bring itself to use the word "church".

[george76]

The BBC coninues their tradition of hating Christians...

[Senator Goldwater]

That's the one that's shown at the beginning of 'Midnight Express".

[george76]

Does it look like this , now ?

[george76]

Hagia Sophia -- ``Holy Wisdom'' in Greek -- rose from the ruins of an earlier church in the 6th century and now holds 15 centuries of religious and political history under its massive central dome and multicolored marble columns.

It was the architectural and spiritual marvel of Christian Byzantium until the city -- then known as Constantinople -- fell to Muslim forces in 1453.

Crosses and other Christian symbols were defaced and it became one of the most renowned mosques of the expanding Ottoman Empire.

In 1935, it again was transformed -- this time into the Ayasofya museum during the secular reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who built modern Turkey from the Ottoman ruins.

Religious services are prohibited, and Benedict's visit Thursday is considered by Turkish officials as only sightseeing.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/16113406.htm?source=rss

[rxgalfl]

Hagia Sophia...a former Christian Church .

Was that a statement or a question?

Ancient capital of the world, Rome, was conquered by Emperor Constantin and moved to Byzantine Constantinople around 300 AD. Because of this political and bureaucratic move, the Roman Imperial Archives were also moved there. In 1453 when the cruel Ottoman Emperor Mehmet (aka Muhammad) II invaded Constantinople, history talks about the Muslims burning the city almost to the ground, including the Imperial Archives, for over 3 days. The lack of information regarding the so-called "dark period" in Europe is directly linked with the historical disaster of Constantinople. Actually that "dark" period was by far so, it was actually a modern and ever growing civilization which was coming straight out Constantinople. The darkness simply comes from the ashes of what was left of the most imposing and long-living empire of all times, the Roman Empire. The cultural and historical loses as a result of the barbaric behavior of the Turkish and Mongolian herds (=Ottoman Empire), loses which are so priceless, they can be compared to the disaster of Alexandria in Egypt.

Simply put, the massacre committed by the Turks was terrible, the city was looted for days, St. Sophia church was transformed into a mosque. However, there were some churches which were not destroyed, Mohammad II thinking ahead into influencing Europe by enabling a Christian jurisdiction within the Ottoman Empire, it's first Patriarch being Scholrios (or something to that matter ). And so was the end of the mighty Byzantinian Empire, following over 1000 years of existence.

These people have not changed and the Pope keeps apologizing for a true statement. The Pope needs to remember that his duty is to serve God and His Son and not to make our faith a weak one. We get plenty of this from our spineless Democrat politicians.

[george76]

Thanks.

Today, the long clash between Christendom and Islam is still evident in the political and ethnic geography of Europe, Africa, Byzantium, and north into Russia.

The battle also extends, in varying degrees, throughout the Near and Far East, and the Islands of the Pacific as well.

Many Christian knights, soldiers, and sailors have died defending Christendom against the onslaughts of Islam down through the centuries.

Today, the borders of many European countries, Canada, and the United States are practically wide open, and the old enemy is invited to come in and make himself at home.

And many 'Christians' in the West are just too busy enjoying their material prosperity to be bothered with unpleasant history.

But the enemy has not forgotten history. He remembers it all too well, and he is still deadly serious about his religion.

His goal over the years has not changed in the slightest, and he is very patient. The enemy within is now smiling, just biding his time.

And long dead Christian knights, our ancestors in the Faith, are probably turning over in their graves right about now, trying desperately to shout out a warning.

The final chapter, it seems, has yet to be written....

http://slapstickpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/10/remembering-battle-of-lepanto.html#links

[KellyAdmirer]

The Pope spent half an hour in Hagia Sophia, a domed complex that was once a Christian centre before becoming a mosque and eventually, a museum.

"A domed complex." "Once a Christian centre."

You've got to be kidding me.

[rxgalfl]

We need a modern Vlad Tepes :) Fearless, curageous, patriot and, above all, faithful in the Lord!

[george76]

Not my words.

The lovely BBC...

/s

[george76]

[george76]

Almost from the very beginning of Islam, there were wars upon wars between Christians and Moslems. We remember the Crusade wars, seven major and several minor, which lasted for centuries.

This is the story of the Battle of Lepanto, which marked the end of the Crusades and was a turning point in the history of Christianity.

---

Charles Martel's victory at Poitiers definitely stopped the Moslem invasion of western Europe.

In the east Christians held firm against attacks of the Moslems until 1453. In that year, Mohammed II threw huge assaults against Constantinople and by the evening of May 29 the Byzantine capital fell.

By 1571 the Moslems were firmly installed in Europe. Their ships ruled the Mediterranean Sea from the Strait of Bosporus to the Strait of Gibraltar and constantly preyed on Christian vessels unless they flew the French flag.

http://home.inreach.com/bstanley/lepanto.htm

[Mike Darancette]

Earlier, the Pope visited the nearby Hagia Sophia Museum - a site heavy with Christian and Muslim symbolism - drawing around 150 protesters.

I wonder what the Muslims will do with Notre Dame Cathedral? Or, maybe St Peters?