Free Republic

State Duma deputies have supported the idea of the return of Agia Sophia in Constantinople to the Orthodox Church. This was stated by Chairman of Committee on Property, and the coordinator of the inter-factional parliamentary group on the protection of Christian values, Sergei Gavrilov, TSN reports. Today, when Russian-Turkish relations are undergoing an "endurance trial," mutually friendly initiatives and proposals are of special importance, Gavrilov says. "The Russian side deems it possible to return to the question of Agia Sophia, the ancient shrine of the Christian world, located in Constantinople - an ancient Byzantine cathedral associated with the history of...